{"id":1562,"date":"2026-05-12T05:01:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T05:01:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/12\/these-earthquake-safety-tips-arent-all-theyre-cracked-up-to-be-2\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T05:01:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T05:01:15","slug":"these-earthquake-safety-tips-arent-all-theyre-cracked-up-to-be-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/12\/these-earthquake-safety-tips-arent-all-theyre-cracked-up-to-be-2\/","title":{"rendered":"These earthquake safety tips aren\u2019t all they\u2019re cracked up to be"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Should you stand in a doorway for protection during an earthquake? Can your dog or cat predict an imminent tremor? Will California eventually break off and fall into the ocean?<\/p>\n

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Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths about earthquakes, and not ones about angry gods shaking the earth, either.<\/p>\n

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Some are based on advice that once was good but has become outdated, while others are just nonsense passed down from generation to generation or seen only in the movies.<\/p>\n

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\u201cPeople will believe what they want to believe,\u201d SanAndreasFault.org said.<\/p>\n

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Here\u2019s what to know about earthquake myths:<\/p>\n

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Myth: Stand in a doorway during an earthquake<\/h2>\n

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Doorways were once considered the strongest part of a building\u2019s structure, giving rise to the idea that standing inside one offers greater protection during an earthquake, the California Governor\u2019s Office of Emergency Services said.<\/p>\n

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Not so much, according to engineers.<\/p>\n

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\u201cModern building codes and construction have significantly improved the structural integrity of all parts of buildings, meaning that doorways are no safer than other areas,\u201d Cal OES said.<\/p>\n

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Instead of rushing to a doorway, drop, cover and hold on during a tremor, the office advised.<\/p>\n

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Myth: California will someday fall into the ocean<\/h2>\n

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\u201cThe ocean is not a great hole into which California can fall,\u201d according to Cal Poly Pomona. The ocean is just land at a slightly lower elevation with water above it.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s absolutely impossible that California will be swept out to sea,\u201d the university said.<\/p>\n

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Instead, southwestern California is gradually moving toward Alaska as it slides past Central and Northern California along the San Andreas Fault, Cal Poly Pomona said.<\/p>\n

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But it\u2019s going to be about 70 million years before Los Angeles residents will need Alaska zip codes, the university said.<\/p>\n

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Myth: Earthquakes can be predicted<\/h2>\n

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Sorry, but scientists don\u2019t possess magic earthquake-detecting technology, Cal OES said.<\/p>\n

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\u201cUnfortunately, earthquake prediction remains an extremely challenging endeavor,\u201d the office said.<\/p>\n

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Scientists can monitor fault lines and detect patterns of seismic activity, but they can\u2019t predict specific earthquakes with precision.<\/p>\n

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ShakeAlert and other warning systems can alert you to prepare for an earthquake once one occurs, since seismic activity takes time to radiate out, similar to ripples in a pond. But that\u2019s not a prediction.<\/p>\n

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Myth: Animals can sense a future earthquake<\/h2>\n

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While there have been cases of animals acting oddly before an earthquake, a connection hasn\u2019t been proved, Cal Poly Pomona said.<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s also possible that animals, which frequently have keener senses, may be detecting the early stages of a quake before it can be felt by humans \u2014 but that\u2019s not a prediction, since it\u2019s already happening.<\/p>\n

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\u201cBut animals also change their behavior for many reasons, and given that an earthquake can shake millions of people, it is likely that a few of their pets will, by chance, be acting strangely before an earthquake,\u201d Cal Poly Pomona said.<\/p>\n

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Myth: \u2018Earthquake weather\u2019 precedes a quake<\/h2>\n

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Some people believe that hot, dry or windy weather means an earthquake is imminent. But there\u2019s no such thing as \u201cearthquake weather,\u201d Cal OES said.<\/p>\n

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\u201cEarthquakes are caused by the movement of tectonic plates beneath the Earth\u2019s surface, and weather patterns are not reliable indicators of impending seismic activity,\u201d the agency said.<\/p>\n

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People may be noticing quakes that seem to fit this pattern and forgetting about the ones that don\u2019t, Cal Poly Pomona said.<\/p>\n

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\u201cAlso, every region of the world has a story about earthquake weather, but the type of weather is whatever they had for their most memorable earthquake,\u201d the university said.<\/p>\n

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There\u2019s also no truth to the idea that the strongest earthquakes always hit at the same time of day.<\/p>\n

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Myth: Small quakes relieve pressure, preventing bigger ones<\/h2>\n

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While smaller earthquakes may relieve some pressure on faults, it\u2019s not really enough to avert a major quake, Cal OES said.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIn fact, a sequence of smaller quakes can sometimes indicate that a larger one is on the horizon, but not always,\u201d the agency said.<\/p>\n

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So it\u2019s actually a bit of the opposite.<\/p>\n

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Myth: The ground can open up during an earthquake<\/h2>\n

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We\u2019ve seen it in the movies \u2014 the earth begins to shake, then fissures crack open and swallow up screaming extras or the occasional inconvenient supporting character.<\/p>\n

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But that\u2019s not really how earthquakes work, Cal Poly Pomona said.<\/p>\n

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Faults simply don\u2019t split open during an earthquake, although landslides may create the occasional crevice.<\/p>\n

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Myth: Aftershocks are always smaller than the main quake<\/h2>\n

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\u201cWhile most aftershocks may be smaller than the initial shaking, they are no less destructive than the first impact,\u201d Cal OES said.<\/p>\n

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For example, the 1994 Northridge quake in Los Angeles was a magnitude 6.7, but the aftershocks ranging up to magnitude 6.0 were only slightly less destructive.<\/p>\n

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In fact, since aftershocks rattle buildings already damaged by the main quake, the damage can actually be worse, Cal OES said.<\/p>\n

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Aftershocks also can occur weeks or months after the initial quake.<\/p>\n

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Myth: Quakes are only a hazard in the Bay Area and Southern California<\/h2>\n

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In fact, earthquakes can occur anywhere, Cal OES said.<\/p>\n

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\u201cEarth\u2019s crust is divided into tectonic plates, and movement can occur along the boundaries of these plates or within them,\u201d the agency said. \u201cThis means that regions far from plate boundaries, like the central United States, can experience earthquakes.\u201d<\/p>\n

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No place is immune from earthquakes in California, the agency said. The San Andreas Fault may get all the publicity \u2014 and even a movie named after it \u2014 but it\u2019s only one fault among many.<\/p>\n

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Myth: California has the most quakes in the United States<\/h2>\n

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The Golden State may have had some of the most famous quakes, such as the 1906 San Francisco quake, but it\u2019s not the most quake-prone state in the union.<\/p>\n

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That dubious honor goes to Alaska, with California placing second, Cal Poly Pomona said.<\/p>\n

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California does take the top spot for the highest-risk and most damaging earthquakes because of its much larger population, the university said.<\/p>\n

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Florida and North Dakota have the fewest earthquakes per year in the United States.<\/p>\n

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