Feel The Shake In SD County With Earthquake Simulator In Balboa Park

SAN DIEGO, CA — An earthquake simulator capable of replicating the intensity of a magnitude 7.0 temblor will be at Balboa Park Thursday as part of a statewide tour coinciding with the Great California ShakeOut.

The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services will bring the simulator to an area north of the Plaza de Panama Fountain at Balboa Park from 6 a.m. to noon Thursday, according to Cal OES.

The public will be able to experience simulated earthquake shaking while receiving preparedness information from earthquake experts.

The San Diego visit is the final stop on the four-city Great California ShakeOut Tour, following stops Monday in San Francisco, Tuesday in Sacramento and Wednesday in Los Angeles.

"In California, the question isn't whether the next earthquake will strike, but when. That's why we're committed to reaching communities across the state with the tools and information they need to protect their families before disaster hits," Cal OES Director Caroline Thomas Jacobs said in a statement.

The Great California ShakeOut, an annual earthquake drill, will take place at 10:15 a.m. Thursday.

Millions of Californians are expected to participate in the drill and practice earthquake safety measures, including dropping to the ground, taking cover and holding on, according to Cal OES.

California also operates an earthquake alert system, which Cal OES describes as the first of its kind in the nation.

More information about the tour is available at news.caloes.ca.gov/the- great-california-shakeout-tour-2026/.