We’re no strangers to earthquakes in San Francisco, with frequent quakes in the Bay Area and Northern California. This morning, though, many San Franciscans were woken up by a 3.6-magnitude earthquake that hit right off the city’s coast near Ocean Beach.
The depth of the earthquake was 7.9 Km deep and approximately 5 Km North West of the San Francisco Zoo. Then, at 9:39 am and 10:48 am, two more quakes were detected in the same area at 2.5 m and 2.9 m, respectively, according to the USGS. While these quakes are relatively small, the SF Emergency Department used it as an opportunity to remind San Franciscans to be prepared for larger Earthquakes in the future.
How to prepare for an earthquake
While many earthquakes in the area have been minor recently, it’s always worth being prepared.
How to protect yourself during: If you grew up in an earthquake-prone area like here, you probably had many earthquake drills in school that taught you the best way to protect yourself. But, it’s good to know what you should do in specific situations if an earthquake does happen.
If you are indoors, you should drop to the ground, go under a desk or table, and hold on to what you’re under. Then, cover your head and neck with your free arm. If you’re outside, you should stay away from buildings and stay outside. In a car, you should pull over and set your parking brake.
Emergency Plan: Officials recommend preparing a supply kit with emergency essentials like a flashlight, food and water, a first aid kit, and a fire extinguisher. You can also make a communication plan with your loved ones in case it is difficult to reach people in an emergency.
Prepare your space Nailing large furniture, such as bookshelves, to the walls is recommended to avoid falling during an earthquake.