Cider Press Hill

Earthquakes

A couple of days ago I browsed through the Firefox site to see what kind of new and cool extensions they have on offer—because new toys are really fun, y’know? Firefox has some especially interesting extensions that make the browser much more than just a browser. For example, the extension called eQuake. This little extension nestles quietly on the status bar and notifies you within minutes of an earthquake, anywhere in the world, with the location and magnitude of the quake. I thought that sounded rather interesting and added it to my extensions. Shortly after installation, the first earthquake registered and, subsequently, I was surprised at how many earthquakes happen across the world every day. I set the extensions options so that when an earthquake occurs, it gives my browser window a little shake. Though that is an optional feature, I like it—it’s an easy way to know when a quake happens if I’m concentrating on something else. The extension is only available for Windows machines, though.

Still, if the whole idea of keeping tabs on earthquakes interests you non-Windows users (or even Windows users), the US Geological Survey offers an RSS feed that provides the same information in a less intrusive way—if you don’t like the browser extension route. Just subscribe with your favorite reader and you’re good to go. (I don’t think I’ve mentioned before that Google Reader is my new favorite rss feed reader.)

The USGS Earthquakes Hazard Program page is also worth a look. Lots of interesting info there.

After about the 20th earthquake registered on my new little extension, I was pretty curious about the whole science of earthquakes. It’s not a topic that glowed on my radar screen previously, even though I knew that one of my relatives perished in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Anyway, I discovered the San Francisco Exploratorium‘s website, which offers quite a stunning online earthquake exhibit, including a terrific series on the 1906 earthquake. It gave me a pretty clear idea of what my relative’s last moments must have been like and it made me gulp. It reminded me of London.photos after the blitz. The site also offers an attractive and easily navigable tour through other large San Francisco quakes, Real-Time data, Quake Basics (plate tectonics, faults, waves, etc) and the science of Damage Control. Just Fascinating.

Posted on 04/08/06 at 01:18 PM
 




Linkmeister

If I remember what I’ve read, it was the fire post-quake in San Francisco which really did the damage.  The current issue of Time has an interesting general article about it, along with info about all the faults throughout the northern part of the state.

United States   Posted by Linkmeister on 04/08/06  at  02:31 PM





Kate

Yep, after the initial (considerable) collapsing took place, the gas fires raged. The Exploratorium exhibit has some amazing photographs of it. I’d never heard of the Ham and Eggs fire, which evidently started when a Hayes Valley (north of Market Street and west of Van Ness) woman decided to cook breakfast after the quake, not realizing that the gas lines had been broken. Her breakfast attempt pretty much leveled everything north of Market street and the fire joined with the South of the Slot fire where they burned until the city was destroyed. It is really hard to imagine that level of devastation, especially within a three and a half day period.

United States   Posted by Kate on 04/08/06  at  03:08 PM





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