When significant earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanism, or other disasters and emergencies occur in which the Earthquake Country Alliance may have a role to play, it is important we have coordinated, peer-reviewed, and meaningful public information ready for a variety of communications channels.
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Latest Event: M5.8 Lone Pine Earthquake (Owens Valley), 06/24/2020 at 10:40 AM
In this event’s update:
- Summary of Event
- Social Media Accounts to Follow
- Visuals (Links)
- Talking Points (General)
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Summary
The following is an update on yesterday’s M5.8 earthquake near Lone Pine in the Owens Valley area, which did not appear to cause any known injuries, deaths, or major damage.
- Rockslides were reported near campgrounds and hiking trails. Aerial surveillance indicated more slides near Lone Pine Lake and deeper into the wilderness. A recent press release from the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office and Inyo National Forest stated the intent to conduct safety assessments of structures, trails, and other open areas.
- The Inyo County Sheriff’s Office has been posting updates regularly to their Facebook page and recommends their page as the their central resource for news: http://facebook.com/pg/InyoCountySheriffsOffice/posts.
- The event adds interest in this general area, known as the Eastern California Shear Zone (aka “Walker Lane”). Some scientists believe the region is a potential tectonic competitor to the San Andreas (read more via WIRED).
- You may also recall that the July 2019 Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence (SCEC.org) occurred within this area too.
- Going forward, we intend to share and coordinate information for recent earthquake and tsunami events with the entire ECA community and public, similar to this email, and look forward to any insights you have to share.
Social Media Updates:
- Facebook.com/pg/InyoCountySheriffsOffice/posts (Inyo County Sheriff)
- Twitter.com/cal_oes (Cal OES)
- Twitter.com/usgs (USGS main account)
- Twitter.com/usgs_shakealert (USGS ShakeAlert)
- Twitter.com/scec (SCEC)
- Twitter.com/eca (ECA)
- Twitter.com/caltechquake (Caltech Earthquake Bot)
Visuals:
Educational:
- MyShake Promo Graphic (Earthquake Early Warning, via Cal OES)
- SCEC / ECA Earthquake GIFs (scec.com/giphy). In Spanish and English, showing protective actions for those with disabilities, and earthquake simulation animations and more
USGS Event Links:
- Event Page: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/ci39493944/executive (Note the ShakeAlert box – great information now available!)
- Greater Context: Past 30 days (Oldest First), Magnitude 2.5+ (zoomed in, SoCal)
From Caltech / SCSN
- scsn.org (Caltech SoCal Seismic Network website for updated technical info and seismic waveform of event)
- Media seismic wave form resource: https://www.scsn.org/index.php/contact/media-relations-contact/index.html
General ECA Talking Points:
The chance of a bigger earthquake is tiny and getting smaller as times goes on. However, we should always remain vigilant as we do live in Earthquake Country with hundreds of faults capable of significant earthquakes at any time. Be prepared to Drop, Cover, and Hold On – drop before the next earthquake may drop you.
The best place to go for updates on this earthquake is the US Geological Survey website, earthquake.usgs.gov. From there you can see a map of where the epicenter was, how many people filled out Did You Feel It (which we encourage everyone who felt it to to fill out), the ShakeMap for what kind of shaking occurred around the region, and other information.
The Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety are a comprehensive guide to earthquake safety that can be adapted for any individual, family, or organization and are available at EarthquakeCountry.org/sevensteps. From starting with Step 1: Secure Your Space to brace objects around where you live, work, or travel, to giving you mechanisms for how to stay safe during and right after shaking, they are a comprehensive guide to earthquake readiness.
We’re all in this together. Another way to encourage your community to come together is through Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills – you can hold and register a drill anyway of the year at ShakeOut.org. We have to practice how to stay safe so we know what to do when the shaking starts.
The Earthquake Early Warning system appears to have alerted many users to Drop, Cover, and Hold On to protect ourselves. This can be downloaded on any smartphone through the “MyShake” app and also sent as Wireless Emergency Alerts. More information: earthquake.ca.gov.
You can also consider earthquake insurance through the California Earthquake Authority and retrofit options through the state’s Earthquake Brace and Bolt Program: EarthquakeBraceBolt.com. Insurance for a tsunami is covered by only flood insurance; visit floodsmart.gov to see what options you can consider.
