Originally Posted By: Russ
7.9 is just a number and doesn't mean much until you put it in perspective. The Recent earthquakes map for CA & NV doesn't go to 8 and the biggest we've had lately is a 4.3 off the coast. I suspect that if a 7.9 hit SOCAL that website would go offline -- 7.9 is fraking huge. The death toll in China is going to be high (but won't approach the death toll in Myanmar from that Cyclone they should have seen coming) and a kit isn't much use if you die in the initial moments. Afterward, if you can find your kit, it's time to start working, no time for bugging out.

You're right about SoCal not being hit quite that hard. However, the Landers quake and the one up in The Valley were both in the low 7's, right? 7.3 and 7.1 I believe. For the most part, the area weathered them well.

Obviously a 7.9 is quite a bit larger, but I'm hoping that when/if that size hits, my family and the entire region will fare quite a bit better. I doubt they have the building codes in China that we do!

Anyway, given the recent turmoil in Asia, I'm glad I'm not living there...