Quake Rattles California's Big Bear Resort Area
Angela Franzer - The Desert Sun
The quake (4.0)hit 7 miles southwest of Big Bear Lake, according to the US Geological Survey.
"I felt the earthquake and jumped out of bed to check on the baby," Kristi Pearce of Cathedral City said in an e-mail to The Desert Sun. "I am a little nervous with earthquakes because I lived in L.A. when they had the Northridge quake and still remember the sound and movement of that one."
Rachel Thomas of Palm Desert said her windows rattled and the bed shook.
"I woke up yelling for my husband," she said.
Don Factor of Palm Springs said his wooden shutters serve as excellent earthquake alarms.
"There was no damage, but it reminded us that it had been quite a while since we had an earthquake strong enough to wake us," he said.
The southernmost segment of the San Andreas Fault - from the Salton Sea through the Coachella Valley to San Bernardino - last ruptured in the late 1600s, more than 300 years ago. Scientists say a very large earthquake along this segment of the fault is inevitable.
"When a big one does happen, it will cause extreme ground motion," said Mark Benthien of the Southern California Earthquake Center. "People need to be less worried about the earthquake itself, but the aftermath. Palm Springs is one of the most dangerous areas because the sand amplifies the shaking"
Earthquake experts still have no way of predicting when and where an earthquake will hit, he said.
"It may happen today. It may happen ten years from now. It would be like predicting where a raindrop will fall," Benthien said.
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www.standeyo.com/NEWS/07_Earth_Changes/071221.CA.4.0.EQ.html