When will Los Angeles get hit by the Big One?

It’s been 25 years since the Northridge earthquake struck, resulting in 57 deaths and $40 billion in damage. The 6.7 magnitude earthquake left a path of destruction in its wake, from freeways, streets, and countless buildings and homes to broken gas and water lines. Large sections of Los Angeles were without power for an extended period of time.

As a result of the Northridge quake, there have been improvements to building codes and the implementation of retrofit programs for apartments, freeways, and hospitals. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is currently retrofitting approximately 7,000 miles of water pipes to prevent them from cracking in the event of an earthquake.

Data from a new study indicates that an earthquake is striking Southern California approximately every 3 minutes which translates into 480 earthquakes per day, 3369 earthquakes per week.  Previous to this study, it was thought that about 10,000 earthquakes per year were striking Southern California, but the number has expanded to 1.81 million events! Most of these are too small in magnitude for you to detect, but can still cause damage.

However, seismologists are predicting that an earthquake of a far bigger magnitude than Northridge could hit at anytime. The “big one” occurring along the San Andreas fault could be so disastrous that it could take decades for Los Angeles and the whole of Southern California to recover.

Nothing new about earthquakes

Los Angeles earthquakes and earthquakes in California are nothing new. And, it’s also common knowledge that small earthquakes are much more common than big quakes. It’s been 25 years since the Northridge earthquake struck, disrupting the lives of all those living in the San Fernando Valley. People tend to forget that another earthquake of even greater magnitude could strike the Los Angeles area at any time.

So, the question is, when the big one hits Los Angeles have you taken steps to prepare? This includes stocking up on water, food, and medicine, and making sure that you have some alternate form of shelter in case it turns out that your home is no longer livable. Living in an earthquake zone means that you must have an earthquake emergency plan in place as well as coordinating your plan with those of your friends and family.

Are you ready?

If you don’t already have earthquake insurance, now is the time to get it so that you’re covered when the big one hits Los Angeles. It’s estimated that $3.3 billion of damage is reported in Southern California each year due to small temblors that occur each and every week.  So, it makes good financial sense to protect your home and valuables by carrying earthquake insurance.

Daniel Fraisse, earthquake insurance broker, can help you select a policy that fits your individual needs.  Dan Fraisse has been serving clients for decades, and has built a solid reputation as an expert on insurance coverage of all types, including earthquake policies.

Call today to find out if you have enough coverage when the big one hits.