The strongest temblor to hit the Bay Area in nearly 20 years
prompted the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to issue an
earthquake advisory Wednesday morning in 10 counties, including San
Benito.
Hollister
The strongest temblor to hit the Bay Area in nearly 20 years prompted the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to issue an earthquake advisory Wednesday morning in 10 counties, including San Benito.
The OES advisory stated Tuesday’s earthquake has “significantly increased the probability of a damaging earthquake along the Calaveras and/or Hayward faults over the next few days.”
Tuesday night’s magnitude-5.6 earthquake was centered near Alum Rock, north-northeast of San Jose, and occurred on the southern segment of the Calaveras Fault, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. There have been about a dozen smaller aftershocks, according to the USGS.
But what really concerns seismologists is that the epicenter was near the dangerous Hayward Fault, which hasn’t registered a strong earthquake since 1868.
Scientists have projected the Hayward Fault can produce a quake up to a magnitude-7.0. Immediately after Tuesday’s quake, the USGS reported there was a 30 percent chance of a temblor larger than magnitude-5.0 within seven days.
Brian Tempero, who heads San Benito County’s Office of Emergency Services, said county residents should make sure their homes are earthquake safe. Secure cabinets and other furniture, and have extra food and water on hand, Tempero said.
The county’s emergency center will also be ready to roll in case of a quake, he said.
“We’re taking the initial steps early,” Tempero said.
The advisory was also issued to Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma counties.
See Thursday’s Free Lance for a story about our county’s earthquake preparedness.
