Hi Don,

Historical seismicity records are wonderful, inasmuch as any library records are for any time or civilization, however, one thing that's missing which should all take note of is this. How many quakes have shown up in places where there are no known faults, or their potential cannot be measured in advance.

The last close Bay Area quake of late was near Yountville. On an unnamed fault comes a 5. earthquake. How about Northridge? A blind thrust fault. Then look at Kobe. Not expected there either. Perhaps the stress that is being generated on locked segments of major faults is showing in these other earthquakes arriving in unexpected area's. Thats really more frightening than thinking of the Hayward Fault or the San Andreas. Why? Those area's have emergency networks set up for a full scale plan. On these other faults, no one knows they are there, or their potential, so emergency plans cannot be made and therefore, the hazard situation is far greater than on a named, well known fault.

Just a thought in passing...Petra