Magnitude 7.0 Earthquake Simulator Coming To San Diego

SAN DIEGO, CA — An earthquake simulator capable of reproducing the intensity of a magnitude 7.0 temblor will make a stop at Balboa Park next week as California officials urge residents to prepare for the next major quake.

The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services will bring its shake trailer to an area north of the Plaza de Panama Fountain at Balboa Park from 6 a.m. to noon Thursday, Oct. 15.

Visitors will be able to experience simulated earthquake shaking and speak with experts about earthquake early-warning technology, emergency preparedness and safety measures such as dropping, covering and holding on.

The San Diego visit will be the final stop on Cal OES' annual Great California ShakeOut Tour. Other stops include San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles.

"In California, the question isn't whether the next earthquake will strike, but when," Cal OES Director Caroline Thomas Jacobs said in a statement. "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."

The tour leads into the Great California ShakeOut, a statewide earthquake drill scheduled for 10:15 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15.

Cal OES encouraged residents, schools, businesses and other organizations to participate by practicing how to drop, cover and hold on during an earthquake.

California also operates an earthquake early-warning system designed to provide alerts before strong shaking reaches some users.

People can register for the Oct. 15 drill here.

More information about the earthquake simulator is available here.

City News Service contributed to this report.