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5M to Take Part in LA Quake Drill

Southern California readies for 'the Big One' of earthquake-preparedness events

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Nov 11, 2008 10:52 AM CST

(Newser) – Geologists are hoping a huge party will shake some earthquake awareness into jaded Angelenos, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Great Southern California ShakeOut—an earthquake drill followed by a huge rally—is scheduled for Thursday morning and 5 million people have signed up so far, putting the event on course to be the biggest earthquake-preparedness event in history.

“We want to make it feel cool to duck, cover, and hold,” a local DJ said. Geologists say a huge quake is long overdue in the area but faced public indifference toward regular apocalyptic predictions. Organizers worked on new marketing techniques to raise awareness of the ShakeOut—and saw interest surge after a 5.4 magnitude quake hit near the city in July.

Mark Zoback, a geophysicist at Stanford University, speaks about rock samples from 2 miles beneath the surface of the San Andreas Fault in this file photo.
Mark Zoback, a geophysicist at Stanford University, speaks about rock samples from 2 miles beneath the surface of the San Andreas Fault in this file photo.   (AP Photo)
Seismology graduate student Julian Lozos of the University of California monitors earthquakes by constantly running a background program on an Apple MacBook laptop with a built-in motion sensor.
Seismology graduate student Julian Lozos of the University of California monitors earthquakes by constantly running a background program on an Apple MacBook laptop with a built-in motion sensor.   (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Police tape surrounds debris that fell on a sidewalk after an earthquake July 29, 2008, in Los Angeles.
Police tape surrounds debris that fell on a sidewalk after an earthquake July 29, 2008, in Los Angeles.   (AP Photo)
In this April 18, 1906, file photo,  people walk through the rubble following an earthquake in San Francisco.
In this April 18, 1906, file photo, people walk through the rubble following an earthquake in San Francisco.   (AP Photo)
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A hypothetical at the damage a 7.8 magnitude quake in the Los Angeles area would do.   (ShakeOut2008)

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Evidently, telling people what you want them to do is a very bad way of getting them to do it. No one listens to us. - Lucile Jones, chief scientist for the U.S. Geological Survey's Southern California multihazards unit

We don't want to spread doom and gloom. We want people to come together and have fun. - Mariana Amatullo of Pasedena's Art Center College of Design

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