Re: the 5.8 shaker in the Valley

And, To you, I wish for a Happy New Year 2010.

     Lot's of little things fell out of cabinents or jostled off tables, expecially the picture frames that only have a fold out leg to prop'em up.  Minor plaster cracks in my PC store, lots of drawers with heavy contents slid open ...strangely, not a single monitor or PC was shaken off tables.    I was in my car driving slowly near home and thought that I'd had a sudden loss of air.  The car was weaving strangely.  I stopped nearby, got out and inspected by tires.  The tires looked OK but I drove to a nearby station with air to check'em.  There I saw lots of tin cans' etc scattered around on the floor.  The folks there said it was a 5.8.  Later in the day I heard that lots of folks' blood pressure shot up in Walmart & Costco below some of the high stacks of merchandise.  No major damage overall. But I hope they inspect the bridges and overpasses.

     This area around El Centro/Mexicali/Imperial Valley is where the next "BIG ONE" is overdue to hit acorrding to some articles.  Of the top 15 or so, the two in the 'lower 48' content that were strongest:

15.	7.8	March 26, 1872	Owens Valley, California
	7.8	Feb. 24, 1892	Imperial Valley, California

      One book predicted that the "Imperial Valley" area is due for a 'Grand Quake' 9+' or so!!!!  I worry that an earthquake that causes land to drop (like in Alaska some years ago) would happen in the area of Mexico that's SE of us about 20 miles or so.  From what I've read, the Sea of Cortez (sea level) is only kept from flowing back into the Imperial Vally by roughly 5 feet of soil.  I'd hate to imagine the Sea of Cortez gushing toward us.  My house would be 60+ feet under water!   Maybe we'd best be careful around December 21, 2012.  :-)

.bob harrold

21Dec2012 Countdown

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