San Diego County residents – Are you concerned about an earthquake destroying your home or business?
The US Geological Survey says that Southern California is most likely to be struck by a major earthquake in the next 30 year. According to them, there’s a 99 percent chance of us experiencing a quake with at least 6.7 magnitude. A 46% chance of a 7.5 magnitude earthquake or greater was also mentioned.
What does this mean for residents of San Diego County? Despite the fact that there is supposed to be an epicenter in Southern California, most San Diego residents do not seem at high risk. At least, not in comparison to Orange County residents and Los Angeles (LA) citizens. The earthquake insurance rates are one indicator. The average premium cost for San Diego is $251 annually, compared to $693 in Orange Counties and Los Angeles.
A recent article in the San Diego Union Tribune stated that a California ‘Big One’ would not be similar to the Chilean big quake. California’s seismic platetectonics are different from Chile’s so our region isn’t subject to the same magnitude quakes as Chile. California’s plates slide sideways, while Chile’s slide under one another. Chile has a much thinner crust. These two factors have led seismologists to predict that a maximum of 8.1 earthquake will strike Southern California.
The most dangerous seismic threat is from the San Andreas Fault. It runs from the Salton Sea to Parkfield, Monterrey County. The Salton Sea area is far from San Diego’s residents, however. The San Andreas Fault, which is located inland, would not cause a tsunami like the one that caused so much damage in Chile. Although there are several faults off the coast of San Diego, they are not very dangerous and pose little risk.
San Diego City residents might feel a jolt if the San Andreas Fault close to the Salton Sea was struck. However, most likely, there would be no catastrophic damage or injuries. We do have some smaller faults in the area that could generate a significant jolt. Rose Canyon Fault, which runs east of Pacific Beach, and La Jolla are the most alarming faults in San Diego County. Further south, and inland, is the La Nacion Fault which runs through South San Diego and Chula Vista. Be aware of the Elsinore Fault Zones, Aqua Caliente Fault Zones and San Jacinto Fault Zones in the East County Mountains and Deserts.
There is always the possibility of earthquake shaking and fault movement depending on where you live. You should be aware that a large earthquake could cause damage to your property if you live near a fault. There are also two other risk factors, namely landslide or liquefaction. A landslide can be caused by the powerful earth shaking, particularly after an earthquake. But what is the foundation of your home or business?
Many homes and businesses in San Diego are built on sand and fill. They are susceptible to soil liquefaction. These soils can behave like jello during a earthquake, amplifying the movement of a quake more than homes built on rock or settle land. Due to liquefaction, homes built on rock near an earthquake epicenter may experience less shaking or damage than homes built on sand and fill further away.
What can you do to find out what’s under your house and in what danger is the neighborhood?
It can be difficult to locate dangers in San Diego neighborhoods. Click on the “custommap” button. Scroll down to the right and click on Faults. Next, click on Geologic Hazards. This will activate the map layers. Next, click Refresh on the bottom right corner of the page.
This is the fun part. Finding your neighborhood. Navigate around the map using the PAN or ZOOM IN controls to zoom in and find your neighborhood’s geologic hazards such as fault zones, liquefaction, and landslides. Zoom in on your block to see the earthquake-related dangers around your house or business.
You don’t probably need Earthquake Insurance if you have all these things.
