Post #64583 by floratina on Thu, Dec 11, 2003 11:47 PM

I remember that during the '94 quake that there were a number of CNN journalists staying here in L.A. to attend a dinner in honor of Bernard Schwartz, one of their main anchors. They were staying at the Beverly Wilshire. Bernie himself was I think the first one of any network to get a phone line through and give a first-hand report of the experience.

Anyway, I remember the quake was a topic on Larry King's show a night or two later. Larry had been in town for the dinner. A guest asked him to compare earthquakes to hurricanes and other types of natural disasters he had experienced. I will always remember his response as he slowly shook his head and said, "this was...much worse." With a hurricane or tornado you get some warning. There is time to prepare and, especially with a tornado, a good chance that a majority of those who live in the area of concern, no damage. Maybe the fear that you will lose everything, combined with the hours and hours of waiting for it to play out makes it as miserable as a quake, though!

With an earthquake there is so far, no way to warn us of the impending disaster. Everybody within a gigantic swath of the geographic area will get a hearty 3-D taste of it. Your home may remain standing, but millions are treated to that visceral shock and it is bizarre!