Hi All,

While this little quake doesn't seem to be on its own much to talk about, the signs of the times may be giving us a wake up call.

3.3 2002/03/19 23:35:12 37.593N 122.459W 7.7 3 km ( 2 mi) SE of Pacifica, CA

I'm attaching a link to a study done by the USGS regarding long term earthquake probabilities in the San Francisco Bay Area, where it is thought we have a 70% chance of having a 7.0 quake between the years 2000 - 2030. The area of this quake is in a seismic gap and as of late has been producing lots of little quakes between the ocean side of the peninsula and the bay side. The quakes don't always arrive on the two faults involved, the San Gregorio Fault on the ocean side and the San Andreas Fault which runs up the center. Last week one occurred right next to the bay.

Don and I have been avidly watching this segment for over a year and we know we aren't the only one's with a heads up. So the question emerges, will this be the location of the next large Bay Area earthquake? Could be, however, as it is so much closer to densely populated area's and also area's which would have intense ground shaking, the scenario for casualties and massive property damage are nothing to take lightly.

While we could just sit back and twiddle our thumbs and wait to see what happens, we can do something in-between, prepare as if it were going to occur and if it does, we will be ready no matter what happens.

Petra

• SF Bay Area EQ Probabilities 2000-2002