I agree, because they seem so inescapable compared to weather events or most fires. I was quite surprised at the first earthquake I experienced though I knew about the New Madrid Fault. What I didn't know was that my college campus (and alleged on 4 tower high rise dorm in particular) was built over one of its related fault lines. In September 1968, we saw a relatively minor quake on a Saturday morning. The reaction in my men's dorm was a chorus of hoarse male voices all up and down the corridor yelling, "quit shaking the ...damn bed!" I've sense experienced one of the minor shakes that have hit Virginia in recent decades - one from the 'bang' that emanated from the basement foundation wall my desk was sitting next to.
Earthquakes are indeed quite destructive and inspire fear - but they're relatively localized and even the strongest ones don't have massive global repercussions beyond perhaps supply chain disruptions (if they hit a major metropolitan area), with maybe a couple of exceptions here and there. If they lead to widespread tsunamis, then they do have semi-global impacts in terms of affecting an entire ocean basin, like the Indian Ocean in late 2004.
Volcanic eruptions, on the other hand, can create ginormous global repercussions, not the least with supply-chain and aviation disruptions (in addition to the more localized damage from the direct effect of the eruptions). Plus, depending on where they erupt, they can change the global or hemispheric climate for a good couple of years. Just look at Tambora's 1815 eruption (with the Year Without A Summer the following year) or, to a somewhat lesser extent, Krakatoa's 1883 eruption. (Pinatubo's 1991 eruption and certainly Hunga Tonga's early 2022 eruption fall just short.)
In summary, as I learned during the Covid pandemic of 2020-22 (yet another global disaster), earthquakes are on the whole a local and regional hazard (and strike without warning) whereas volcanic eruptions at least have the potential to be a global as well as local and regional hazard. Thus, geological disasters - and especially gigantic volcanic eruptions - absolutely deserve consideration as threats to global security alongside pandemics, wars, depressions, cyberattacks, solar storms, etc.
I went through the 71 sylmar quake and the 93 Northridge quake. I was 6 in 71 and it scared the crap out of me. I was 29 for the 93 quake, and it honestly scared the crap out of me again. The 93 was more significant to me since I was of (semi) reasoning age. Endured both in the east SFV. I had several friends lose their apartments because of red tagging including my now wife's building. I agree about the no warning aspect but maybe that's fo the best. To escape southern California quakes I now live in western Oregon...so cascadia, here I am!
Hi, I read your earthquake article with interest. I was with the Red Cross Disaster Mental Health team at ground zero for the Northridge earthquake for two weeks. The consensus was that having the ground beneath people become unstable was the most difficult.
I agree, because they seem so inescapable compared to weather events or most fires. I was quite surprised at the first earthquake I experienced though I knew about the New Madrid Fault. What I didn't know was that my college campus (and alleged on 4 tower high rise dorm in particular) was built over one of its related fault lines. In September 1968, we saw a relatively minor quake on a Saturday morning. The reaction in my men's dorm was a chorus of hoarse male voices all up and down the corridor yelling, "quit shaking the ...damn bed!" I've sense experienced one of the minor shakes that have hit Virginia in recent decades - one from the 'bang' that emanated from the basement foundation wall my desk was sitting next to.
Earthquakes are indeed quite destructive and inspire fear - but they're relatively localized and even the strongest ones don't have massive global repercussions beyond perhaps supply chain disruptions (if they hit a major metropolitan area), with maybe a couple of exceptions here and there. If they lead to widespread tsunamis, then they do have semi-global impacts in terms of affecting an entire ocean basin, like the Indian Ocean in late 2004.
Volcanic eruptions, on the other hand, can create ginormous global repercussions, not the least with supply-chain and aviation disruptions (in addition to the more localized damage from the direct effect of the eruptions). Plus, depending on where they erupt, they can change the global or hemispheric climate for a good couple of years. Just look at Tambora's 1815 eruption (with the Year Without A Summer the following year) or, to a somewhat lesser extent, Krakatoa's 1883 eruption. (Pinatubo's 1991 eruption and certainly Hunga Tonga's early 2022 eruption fall just short.)
In summary, as I learned during the Covid pandemic of 2020-22 (yet another global disaster), earthquakes are on the whole a local and regional hazard (and strike without warning) whereas volcanic eruptions at least have the potential to be a global as well as local and regional hazard. Thus, geological disasters - and especially gigantic volcanic eruptions - absolutely deserve consideration as threats to global security alongside pandemics, wars, depressions, cyberattacks, solar storms, etc.
I went through the 71 sylmar quake and the 93 Northridge quake. I was 6 in 71 and it scared the crap out of me. I was 29 for the 93 quake, and it honestly scared the crap out of me again. The 93 was more significant to me since I was of (semi) reasoning age. Endured both in the east SFV. I had several friends lose their apartments because of red tagging including my now wife's building. I agree about the no warning aspect but maybe that's fo the best. To escape southern California quakes I now live in western Oregon...so cascadia, here I am!
It is good to have a phobia than not to have any. I have a fear for heights, but that did stop me from climbing trees, high roofs, etc.
I have fallen off trees, off walls and broken both my hand and also my head, but have always survived.
The moral is being prepared.
dennisdesouza991@gmail.com
Hi, I read your earthquake article with interest. I was with the Red Cross Disaster Mental Health team at ground zero for the Northridge earthquake for two weeks. The consensus was that having the ground beneath people become unstable was the most difficult.