Long Beach may support earthquake warning system
Long Beach could offer support for a push to create a statewide earthquake early warning system.
The City Council will vote Tuesday on a resolution backing Senate Bill 135 by state Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Los Angeles, that would spend an estimated $80 million to install a network of temblor sensors.
A prototype warning system gave 35 seconds notice to seismologists in Pasadena about incoming seismic waves from the March 11 magnitude-4.7 quake centered in the desert in Riverside County.
The resolution's sponsor, Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske, noted that Long Beach sits on the Inglewood-Newport fault that generated a 1933 earthquake measured at magnitude 6.4.
"I'm certain the people in this city would love to get the opportunity to get some heads up in the event of an earthquake," Schipske said. "Even with a 30 second notice, or 50 second notice, that's enough for people to get under cover."
Earthquake warning systems exist in several other countries, including Japan, which experienced the magnitude-9.0 Tohoku earthquake in 2011.
Then, a massive quake hit off the country's northeast coast and triggered a tsunami. A public emergency announcement was issued eight seconds after sensors detected the quake, interrupting TV and radio programming and sending text messages to cell phones.
Millions received up to 40 seconds of warning. Tokyo, about 230 miles away from the
epicenter, got about 10 to 30 seconds notice. A dozen trains were stopped in their tracks and saved from derailing.Padilla's bill is scheduled for an April 9 hearing.
Councilman James Johnson is co-sponsoring Schipske's resolution.
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