SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — California's recent earthquakes have many wondering how safe people would be if an earthquake hit the Inland Northwest.
Here are some answers to the questions people are asking now.
1. How likely is it that an earthquake could hit Spokane?
Spokane has a pattern of relatively minor earthquakes occurring about every 20 to 25 years. Looking at the area's history, the last large earthquake event in Spokane was in 2001, when dozens of earthquakes shook the area in the span of just about a year.
The biggest quake that happened then had a 4.0 magnitude. Since then, Spokane has seen earthquakes, but they've been much smaller.
The likelihood of a bigger earthquake in Spokane is low, but experts say it can't be ruled out.
2. How prepared is Spokane for an earthquake?
Chandra Fox with Greater Spokane Emergency Management says their department is responsible for educating agencies around Spokane County about recommended standards for buildings as well as individual safety.
She says building codes since the 1980s have structural emphasis for earthquakes so they are more likely to withstand severe earthquakes than homes built before then. For people though, she says most are largely unprepared. Because earthquakes happen infrequently in Spokane, she says many don't plan for the possibility.
3. What can I do to stay safe in case there's an earthquake here?
The main goal is to be ready in the remote chance a big one hits the Inland Northwest.
Make sure you have emergency contacts, including someone who doesn't live in the same area that you do, and stock up on food and water. The emergency management department recommends having about a week to ten days worth of food for each person in your home.
Also make sure you tie down your water heater and know how to turn off your water, gas and electricity in case there is an earthquake. That's not just for earthquakes, but also for any natural disaster.
Prepare now, so you're ready just in case.
