Queestion?

[ssonb]

I have thought about this in the past but with all the shakin going on and I am as guilty as most everyone east of the Mighty Miss.
What will happen to a large portion of your stores if even a shallow 6.5 earthshake hits in your area??
Me, I will most likely loose months worth!.....not including clean up time.
Maybe we can get pointers from our community that live in more EQ prone regions.

 

[Tommyice]

We had a 4.8 here in NJ back in April. I'm about 50 miles from that one's epicenter. Experienced no damage, not even a jar moved, but shook like dice in a cup. I can't imagine what a larger one would feel like. I do keep my jars on the shelf with the depth of one jar empty from the edge. I seem to recall an article from that time reasoning why the feel strong but not as much damage due to the granite that is inherent in this area.

 

[ssonb]

Two years ago we has a deep 4.3 in the N GA area it was about 13 miles deep but it still woke me up at around four in the mornin with the sound and the dog growling.
I stayed in trouble in school by askin questions like......If the granite protects us from EQs how did the granite get there?

 

[Morgan101]

We have a two story house with a basement. We keep food and water stored on all three levels, so if the house was damaged we would have a good chance of salvaging a portion, and would not loose it all. Supplies that are stored in the garage are mostly stored near an exterior wall, so if things collapsed we would know where to start digging.

We use several different storage containers like 5 gallon buckets and plastic bins, even some galvanized trash cans. The logic being sturdy containers would survive an earthquake better than glass jars or carboard or other materials that could tear. We are in a seismically active area, but if memory serves we have never had anything strike higher than 5.0. You can never be sure, but it seems like when the New Madrid fault goes it goes North and East of us. Not that we wouldn't be affected, but the worst of it seems to go away from us.

Prepping for a major earthquake has been part of our plan since Iben Browning predicted the New Mardrid fault was going to tear the country in half back in 1990. It obviously never happened, but he raised enough eyebrows to scare the $#xt out of everybody, and we still prep to this day.

 

[Frodo]

In order to post my thoughts on this topic I first must play


Secondly, Y suspended beams on a trolley type system that is bolted to bedrock With concrete buttress
All rebar is to be coated
The idea is not completed in my head but I see a moveable structure as in sway control with ground water drainage

 

[ssonb]

I have read that if you use free standing shelf units they need to be secured to a wall plus have a raised lip edge about three to four inches high to help keep objects contained.
One suggested also only placing glass or breakable items on the bottom two shelves with the lips metal canned and tougher items above and paper products on top.
I realize that if the EQ is strong enuf to collapse the house it won't matter what the shelving units looked like.

 

[Sourdough]

Me, I will most likely loose months worth!.....not including clean up time.
Maybe we can get pointers from our community that live in more EQ prone regions.

Your concern should be elsewhere. Example: is your hot water heater strapped to two or three walls....??? If you ran outside what every building you were in, did you notice the electric wires overhead, etc.

As a very general rule seek a interior doorway, avoid rooms with heavy "NOT-ANCHORED" things, refrigerator, freezers, cooking range, washing machine, dryer, heavy bookcases, furniture, anything crushingly heavy, that is not strapped to a wall or floor. Gun safe is another example. Know where your natural gas or propane and electric, and water "SHUT-OFFS" are located.

Basically, save your body from damage. First thing to me is knowing where to RUN. Run away from any buildings, and any overhead powerlines. Even parked cars and trucks can start moving. A nice open field with no overhead powerlines would be my first choice. Old-time Alaskans reflect on this before every building entry.

 

[d_marsh]

Earthquakes are very low on the list of possible disasters where I live, but my main issue would landslides. I would either be missed, my escape routes blocked, or my entire place destroyed.

 

[Frodo]

No. No underground for me
Underground has A weakness
The snorkel.

 

[Hooch]

I agree with sourdough assessments on this.
I lived in earthquake country for most of my life.
I think even if your area isn't prone to them, doesnt mean you might not have one. So, it might not be a bad idea to make sure your heavy n large shelves and water heaters are strapped to not topple over. Heavy breakables on bottom, and some kind of way to keep items on a shelf. Even a duct tape fence around the bottom is better than nothing. know where to exit a building, not out under lines n poles.
When I moved out of California, a year or two into idaho there was a good shaker not far from where I live by way the crow flies. I'd had just got home, was making my lunch for the next day when it started rollin here.
I was in disbelief at first...but then again there is yellowstone not too far.
I looked at Hooch who was looking at me with his ears up n head cocked sideways. We shuffled out back to ride it out. Apparently, it was the largest EQ idaho had in a long time.
A nice little reminder to me not to relax on my protocols. Plus, now I had to worry about my well n pipes..in cali it was all city.
So when I do build out here..I will definitely be thinking of plumbing integrity .

 

[Morgan101]

I don't know if it has been mentioned here, but you should also know how to shut off your gas if you have gas running into your house. We have a meter outside, and a large crescent wrench would be requred to turn everything off. Our water heater, which is gas, is strapped down as well.

 

[Hooch]

I don't know if it has been mentioned here, but you should also know how to shut off your gas if you have gas running into your house. We have a meter outside, and a large crescent wrench would be requred to turn everything off. Our water heater, which is gas, is strapped down as well.

Good point. I have one of those multipurpose wrench dohickies to turn off the gas. Or if I'm home I can just turn it off at the tank valve.
Actually that reminds me to order another one for the other tank..I had one but it either got stolen or I lost it. I keep them inside the little hood dilly..

 

[Neb]

Good point. I have one of those multipurpose wrench dohickies to turn off the gas. Or if I'm home I can just turn it off at the tank valve.
Actually that reminds me to order another one for the other tank..I had one but it either got stolen or I lost it. I keep them inside the little hood dilly..

As @Morgan101 mentioned, gas to the whole house should be shutoff. Pipes breaking inside the house is bad mojo.

Ben

 

[Pearl]

And good to know.....when north Dallas had tornadoes, some people were proud to have Generac generators .... UNTIL their gas was turned off!

 

[Caribou]

I’ve had a 7.0 and a 7.1 since I bought my home about 10 years ago. We lost some crystal and pyrex in one of them. I installed metal shelving 8’ or 9’ tall in my garage. It is anchored to the wall with 3” screws and fender washers, every stud and every shelf. The TP, paper towels, freeze dried food, and other light unbreakable stuff is on the top. The heavier or more breakable goes lower on the shelves. There are rails on most shelves. There was no real damage in the garage. Except for the glass in the kitchen and dining room there was little damage anywhere. It’s a real E ticket ride but hardly anything to get worried about.

You’ll find any weaknesses when you get a good shaker. If you are calm the dog will be too. If we get another 9.2 then all bets are off.

 

[Neb]

I’ve had a 7.0 and a 7.1 since I bought my home about 10 years ago. We lost some crystal and pyrex in one of them. I installed metal shelving 8’ or 9’ tall in my garage. It is anchored to the wall with 3” screws and fender washers, every stud and every shelf. The TP, paper towels, freeze dried food, and other light unbreakable stuff is on the top. The heavier or more breakable goes lower on the shelves. There are rails on most shelves. There was no real damage in the garage. Except for the glass in the kitchen and dining room there was little damage anywhere. It’s a real E ticket ride but hardly anything to get worried about.

You’ll find any weaknesses when you get a good shaker. If you are calm the dog will be too. If we get another 9.2 then all bets are off.

9.2 vs 7.1 is 100x the magnitude.

Ben

 

[Caribou]

9.2 vs 7.1 is 100x the magnitude.

Ben

I was a teen when the 9.2 hit and I was at the other end of Alaska. They take the earthquake building codes fairly seriously. Every overpass has an exit and an onramp so that there is a ready roadway if the bridge collapses. When you live in earthquake central you need to be aware but you can’t let it worry you.

 

[SoulSeeker]

Never NEVER stand or crouch in a doorway. This is not a good idea as it has been proven doorways collapse to the middle making it a death machine. Find a corner, I think it is the northeast corner but look it up, to go to. Absolutely know where all utilities are and how to turn them off. I lived in Alaska for years and went through many but the worst one was in Washington. I was in Lacey Wash. working as a CNA in a very upscale retirement community about to give a client a bath. I turned on the taps but no water. ??? Then the sound of the pipes banging followed by upthrusts in a pulse lasting 30 seconds to a minute. Then we got what I call "the slippery noodle". Swaying sideways back and forth. Each and every EQ can be different, keep your valuables where they are protected. Do some run throughs of what to do and where to go.