When an earthquake shook southern California at 12:20 PM local time Monday, August 12, the first day of school at Van Nuys High School, students were led out of the building into the sweltering heat of the outdoors, reports Skylie Molina in the school’s student newspaper.
(USGS.gov)The US Geological Survey said the 4.4 magnitude quake was centered 11 km underground at a point 4 km south-southeast of Highland Park.
What a way to start the 2024-25 school year, right? Jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire — and several other clichés.
The paper quoted one senior as saying that, given the outdoor temperature, the evacuation was “stupid” and “very unnecessary.”
But one teacher said, “When something like this happens and we all have to evacuate, it’s good for the school. It counts as one of our practice drills and evacuations for the year.”
It turned out to be a minor earthquake, but when you’re in the middle of it, you don’t have the benefit of the USGS telling you how bad it can get. And while a magnitude 4.4 earthquake is unlikely to cause severe damage, it can still be unsettling and potentially hazardous, particularly if you are unprepared.
Some of the worst injuries from such an earthquake result from furniture, appliances, and other heavy objects toppling over if they’re not securely anchored. Items on shelves might fall, and unsecured items could shift or break, resulting in indoor injuries from shattering glass.
This week, the jet stream turned north over the continent, producing a heat dome over California, the Southwest, and the Deep South. Cooler temps are forecast for next week, and the heat was nothing like that in early July. But according to a few Van Nuys students, it was pretty hot.
