March 03, 2010
Yes, really, there has been another earthquake, this time in Turkey. Let’s put this all into perspective.
“Richard Luckett, a seismologist from the British Geological Survey, told the Associated Press there has not been a spike in global seismic activity.
“If there was a big increase in the number of magnitude-6.0s in the past decade we would know it because we would see it in the statistics,” Dr. Luckett said. “We haven’t seen an increase in 7.0s either.”
According to the US Geological Survey, the earth usually has one magnitude eight or higher earthquake per year, some 17 quakes between 7 and 7.9, and roughly 132 earthquakes a year with a magnitude of between 6 and 6.9 – like the most recent quake in Turkey.
The recent earthquakes are not abnormal in frequency, scientists say, but have received more attention because of the loss of human life.
Earthquakes are frequent in Turkey, which sits atop two major fault lines.
In 2007, a magnitude-5.7 quake damaged buildings in Elazig. In 2003, a magnitude-6.4 quake killed 83 children when a school dormitory collapsed in Bingol. In 1999, two powerful earthquakes struck northwestern Turkey, killing about 18,000 people.
“The point is that earthquakes are common and always have been,” Luckett told the AP.” ( Christian Science Monitor)
According to the United States Geological Society, to date in 2010, we have had one 8.8 (Chile), three greater that 7 and eight 6.0 or above. These numbers do not include any of the aftershocks from these initial quakes and as we have seen they are also deadly. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqinthenews/2010/
I am a little baffled by this number as it does not record either the 6.3 on January 17th or the 6.3 on February 27th, both in Argentina. I haven’t poked around enough to know how many other quakes may have been left off this list. It leaves me wondering what they are using as their guideline for their numbers. At any rate, the number and intensity of quakes does not seem to be increasing, unless we continue at the present rate for the remainder for the year.
If there is one magnitude 8 per year and 17 magnitude 7 per year, all very destructive, the question remains where will the magnitude 8 be in 2011 and are we ready?
There is another question to consider. In the past the United States government has rushed in to help in these quakes, as has the Red Cross, Catholic Charities, The Islamic Relief Organization, Salvation Army and Humanitarian Aid from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. If the experts are correct, and the numbers are not increasing, but the death counts and human needs are, how much longer can these organizations be expected to have the money and supplies to keep up this aid? If the next big quake is in the United States or other country seen as “wealthy” by the world will donations pour in? There will be just as great a need, but will the help be there? We saw a preview with Katrina. Foreign countries did not rush in with help yet thousands were left homeless and in need of food and water.
We will continue to prepare so we are not caught like Mother Hubbard, with our cupboards bare. I know that this year as we add to our General Store you may wonder what the logic is to the items we are adding. Last week we added dental supplies, but not toothpaste. That is because you are supposed to be monitoring how long it takes you to use a tube so you will know how much you need to store for your family, it will be different than what I store for mine. This week we are adding diapers and lip gloss, totally unrelated items. Sometimes adding related items just gets too expensive. Baby products are expensive so we are adding diapers now and we will add diaper cream later.
You may not have a baby in your home anymore but if there is a chance that a family member or friends with a baby will need to evacuate to your home it would be wise to have some on hand. In an emergency this is one of the first items to be cleared off st0re shelves. I store a pack of every size, a smaller pack of new born and size 2 and larger packs of the others. You can make a diaper work that is too large but you are sunk if they are too small. If you currently have children in your home store diapers in a size larger than your child is wearing at the moment. When they reach that size use them and replace them with the next size. Diapers are expensive so purchase what you can afford this week and we will add them one more time so you can add more at that time. Now may be a good time to use the money in your change jar or to use the money from your budget that you didn’t need last week for toothbrushes and dental floss.
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I like that you thought of diapers, just wondering if cloth diapers would be better suited for an emergency. Babies can go through many diapers each day and when they are out, they are out. Cloth diapers allow you to use more than once and for more than one size. Any drawbacks to this? Water usage maybe?
Cloth diapers are great and I will add them in the future. There is a problem should you lack water. There may also be a problem with garbage being picked up after a disaster, even miles away, so in the end you will want to have cloth stored also. These are not my reasons for starting with disposable. During an emergency there will be plenty of stress, relocation, insurance, worry about the future and if you have kids possibly nightmares and extreme insecurity. If you have been through an earthquake, for example, every time a child feels a big truck rumble by they will think there is another earthquake even if you are 50 miles away from home. I suggest disposable so during that first week or two of adjustment you don’t have to worry about washing out messy diapers. Keep it simple in the beginning.
I agree that we should store both. If anything, women can use cloth diapers if/when they run out of sanitary pads. Just fold them and pin in. They can be used in first aid situations as well. I’m sure there are other uses I haven’t thought of yet.
Sandra
The thought occurred to me that adult diapers would be very useful in some households also. Those who come for assistance might not all be infants and toddlers. Even cloth diapers normally used for infants would not be as useful in such circumstances.