Quake Rattles Baja California, San Diego

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake was recorded Sunday afternoon in Baja California, Mexico, rattling cities as far as San Diego, Las Vegas and Phoenix. The strong seismic activity caused minor damage to the immediate cities of Mexicali and Tijuana, as well as the border towns of Calexico and El Centro. Two deaths were recorded in northern Mexico.
 The U.S. Geological Survey determined the epicenter at approximately 110 miles southeast of Tijuana (approximately 130 miles from USD) with a depth of 6.2 miles. The initial shock at 3:40 p.m. on Easter Sunday was subsequently followed by several trigger-earthquakes measuring above 5.0 magnitude affecting different regional faults throughout Sunday night and Monday morning.
 Damage caused by the quakes includes structural damage to local businesses in the Calexico and Mexicali area, resulting in the condemnation of entire city blocks near the border. The buildings blocked off were built in the 1930s and ‘40s before strict building codes were made law in California.
Massive blackouts on both sides of the border occurred, leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity. Homes and apartment buildings also received battering, from broken glass to cracked walls and damaged foundations. Cities as far as Palm Desert witnessed fallen merchandise from store shelves and fallen advertisements. In San Diego, reports of damage included trapped elevators, broken glass, water leaks and minor property damage. San Diego’s Lindbergh Field and some downtown hotels were evacuated until inspectors could assess if the buildings were structurally sound.
Baja California Governor, Jose Guadalupe Osuna Milan, reported that over 230 people were injured in the state, most injuries caused from fallen debris and widespread panic. Director of State Civil Protection for Baja California, Alfredo Escobedo, reported the death of a man due a house collapse outside the city of Mexicali and another when a man panicked as the ground shook, ran out to the street and was struck by an oncoming vehicle.
Fire Departments from Tijuana and Rosarito sent additional units to Mexicali to aid in extinguishing fires that broke out as a result of broken gas and propane lines.
The Easter Sunday quake has served as a reminder for Southern Californians to properly prepare for such events that can potentially strike the San Andreas fault, which runs directly through San Diego.
In an interview Monday morning with San Diego’s KPBS, SDSU Professor Emeritus of Geology Pat Abbott and Ron Lane, director of the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services recommended earthquake preparedness tips.
Both agree that in the case of an earthquake, people should only evacuate a building unless they feel it is not safe to remain inside. Both stress that due to the strict building codes in the U.S., people are better off “hunkering down” under a heavy and sturdy table or desk rather than panic and run out during the quake. “The real danger is things falling on you,” said Abbott, referring to objects such as ceiling fans, shelves or broken glass, which are more likely to fall on a person if they are running around during the shaking.
Ron Lane explains, “One way to avoid panic is preparation.” People should take the places they spend most time in and visualize them during a seismic event and determine whether those places are safe, taking into consideration ceiling fixtures, windows and gas-powered appliances.
The earthquake on Sunday was the largest to affect Northern Mexico and San Diego County in decades.  According to FEMA records, it was also significantly stronger than the 6.7-magnitude quake that hit Northridge, Callif. in 1994, killing over 60 people, injuring over 5,000 and leaving more than 25,000 homeless. The quake that hit Haiti this past January scaled at 7.0 and has resulted in more than 200,000 deaths so far, stressing the importance of strict building codes worldwide.
For more preparation tips, visit sandiego.edu/alert and ready.gov for tips on emergency kits for your home.