Santa Cruz Mountains residents react to strongest earthquake since 1989
By Jazmon DeJarnette
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BOULDER CREEK, California (KSBW) — Residents of the Santa Cruz Mountains felt every second of a magnitude 4.6 earthquake early Thursday morning, marking the strongest quake in the region since the 1989 Loma Prieta disaster.
“I did go outside expecting to see the Earth open, and it was that intense,” said Keith Swick, a mountain resident.
Home cameras captured the moment the world started shaking just before 2 a.m. The earthquake originated in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
“This felt like the whole forest fell,” Swick said.
The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed that this is the largest earthquake in the mountain region since the 1989 Loma Prieta quake.
For neighbors who lived through that disaster, Thursday’s quake brought back some scary memories.
“The role of the floor was definitely different because Loma Prieta was a really quick shake back and forth. It just kept going. This one had that long swaying, rolling feeling which made it feel more dramatic,” said Krista Cheshire, another resident.
Since the initial jolt, the U.S. Geological Survey hasn’t recorded any major aftershocks.
However, experts caution that there is still a chance of a larger earthquake following any magnitude 4 or 5 event.
“It’s well documented that there is still a chance of a larger earthquake followed by any magnitude four or five event,” said Natalia Ruppert, early warning earthquake program coordinator for USGS.
Mountain residents say they are used to staying prepared for the possibility of more shaking.
“Well, living in the forest, we actually have some things together ready, like a to-go box. And so we have all our paperwork in an easy-access place,” Chesire said.
Experts say serious damage usually starts at a magnitude 5, but in the mountains, the rules are a little different.
“If it’s a mountainous region like this, there are always loose rocks that can be shaken off the slopes,” an expert said.
For Richard Swick, the earthquake meant finding a new crack in his roof that wasn’t there before the sun went down.
Scientists say while we can’t predict when the next one hits, the advice for when it does remains the same.
“If you’re in a building, in a room, home or office, be prepared to drop, cover and hold,” Ruppert said.
You can sign up for Early Earthquake warnings at: earthquake.ca.gov/get-alerts
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