File photo. A seismograph machine needle drawing a line depicting seismic and earthquake activity.
Are you ready to drop, cover and hold on?
Millions of people will be participating in the Great ShakeOut this week as Los Angeles residents practice what to do if an earthquake occurs.
Over 3 million people in Los Angeles will be participating in the drills, the majority deriving from K-12 schools and districts.
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“While some areas of California are more likely to have earthquakes than others, all of California is at higher risk compared to the rest of the country,” said the official Great California Shakeout website.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) found that Southern California experiences 10,000 earthquakes each year. Since 2015, Los Angeles has been retrofitting buildings under Ordinance 183893 to reduce structural hazards and damages during severe shakings.
Individual preparedness is then the next step for safety precautions. Beyond “Drop, Cover and Hold On”, the drills are a reminder to update emergency plans and supplies.
“The goal is to prevent a major catastrophe for you, your organization, and your community,” the official Great California Shakeout said on its website.
The drill, itself, is expected to take place at 10:19 a.m. Thursday.
