The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 8

MONDAY, June 29, 1992 The Sun A9 SHAKY SUNDAY: QUAKES ROCK THE SOUTHLAND In brief On the richter The Richter scale is a gauge of the energy released by an earthquake, as measured by the ground motion recorded on a seismograph. Every increase of one number means the ground motion is 10 times greater. Looking back A year ago Snnday, houses were rocked off their foundations, plate-glass windows shattered, masonry buildings cracked, and store aisles were filled with broken bottles and other items. Even a year later, many buildings have not been rebuilt, walls still carry spider webs of cracks and nerves of the 10,750 residents remain frayed. "It makes you wonder what the major plan is upstairs," said Dave Naylar, a dispatcher for the Sierra Madre police.

On Sunday, the Sierra Madre Congregational Church's choir was midway through the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" when the masonry building began to shake violently. "Part of the congregation and part of the choir started leaving," said Ken Cromeenes, church business administrator. "The pastor stood up and said, 'Let's go across the For parishioners, Sunday's quake was deja vu. "It is almost within two hours of exactly a year. It is really amazing," Cromeenes said.

Last year's quake caused more than $45,000 in damage to the church, including broad cracks through walls, fallen plaster, and a severely damaged bell tower, which has not yet been repaired, Cromeenes said. When last year's earthquake struck, the Sierra Madre Police Department's switchboards were jammed with calls from frantic residents. On.Sunday, there were relatively few calls, Naylar said. "We're rattling and rolling a bit but we haven't had any reports of anything no damage we know of," Nay lar said. Sunday's quake does not come close to comparing to last year's, Naylar said.

"Half the town fell down on that one," he said. A year ago at Howie's Ranch Market, the aisles were filled with produce, boxes, cans and broken bottles that flew off of shelves and out of refrigerated display cases. On Sunday, there was no damage, partly because the store installed "earthquake racks" to keep items in their place, said Vince Pirolli. manager of the liquor and wine department. Even so, Pirolli said he felt Sunday's quake and aftershocks.

"I think you'd have lo be dead if you didn't," he said. fl Temblors jolt Sierra Madre residents on one-year anniversary of 5.8 earthquake. By Keith Stone Los Angeles Daily News SIERRA MADRE When the tiny, mountainside town of Sierra Madre awoke Sunday to the first of two temblors, residents could not help but recall the 5.8-magni-tude quake that left their community in ruins exactly a year earlier. "We're still recovering, and this is quite a reminder," said Sierra Madre City Councilman George Maurer. Sunday's quakes, registering 7.4 and 6.5 on the Richter scale, caused little damage in Sierra Madre, 15 miles northeast of Los Angeles, but officials say the town still carries scars from the June 28, 1991, temblor centered just seven miles away.

Two people were killed and more than 100 injured during the 1991 quake that carries Sierra Madre's name. The California Governor's Office estimated the quake caused more than $33 million in damage to thousands of houses and businesses. Southland freeways undamaged, ready to handle commute The lifeblood of the commuter system the freeways was not harmed by Sunday's quakes and will be open for business today, says the California Department of Transportation. Many secondary roads damaged by the temblors may also be open. However, the situation could change suddenly.

Another large quake could have the ground moving faster than the traffic. Drivers often don't feel quakes on the road, but they should stop if the shaking gets severe, said department spokesman Gary Regan. "You could lose control of your vehicle." i AP WIREPHOTO ii ti Uo. President Bush answers questions about the earthquakes while at Camp David. TV TEMBLOR Bush gets briefing on quakes President Bush expressed concern Sunday about the California earthquakes and promised that the federal government "would do whatever we possibly can" to help.

He went to the Oval Office after returning from Camp David, for a briefing from Wallace E. Stjckney, the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Bush talked by telephone from Camp David with California Gov. Pete Wilson about the southern California quakes. Wilson has not yet requested federal assistance, Stickney said, adding, "They've been able to handle the situation on their own as it stands now." 7.4;1 Landers, 1992 7.3 7.2 7.1 Santa Cruz, 1989 Eureka, 1980 Vfll987 Upland, Source.

Caltech, USGS Eureka, 1992 I Big Bear, Desert Hot Springs, I1992 Sierra Madre, 1991 tl SUN STAFF CNN reporter Anne McDermott steadies herself against her desk as an aftershock shakes the Los Angeles studio duringa live report three hours after Sunday's first strong earthquake. She described the 'unnerving' experience as viewers sawthe studio shake before the live camera. Reporter takes jolt on camera Media into the camera. McDermott: "I don't know, you might have seen me jump right now. We are having a very strong aftershock.

Right now. As I speak. I don't know if you can see the movement on your television camera. The lights are swaying." Her voice trembled slightly. Video monitors behind her showed pictures out of whack, as if they needed their horizontal hold fixed.

McDermott: "That was quite a jolt and it's continuing." The picture on the tube jiggled. McDermott gripped the desk, bracing herself with her mam AP WIREPHOTO arms outstretched. McDermott: "Very strong now. Very strong. This is worse, in my opinion, this is worse than the initial quake we had three hours ago.

(Sighing) Uhhhh." Relief relaxed the tense smile on her lace. McDermott: "OK, it is. OK, people are telling me to get under the desk." She started to get up, and then stayed put. McDermott: "It appears to be stopping. OK, things have calmed down considerably now." She shut her eyes.

McDermott: "It's going to be couple of seconds to catch my breath. Very unnerving." Dr. Barbara Card of Palm Desert, a psychologist who specializes in trauma situations, said most anxiety is created by a feeling of powerlessness. She, Salvin and Young-Smetna advised that to relieve anxiety, people should focus on things they do have power over: Learn how to prepare for another quake. Make an earthquake plan with family and neighbors.

Make sure animals are on leashes and close by. Continue normal daily activities. Try to avoid coffee and other stimulants. Talk about what you Utah shaken by two quakes of its own Utah got a double dose of ground motion Sunday, both from Southern California's earthquakes and from two small temblors of its own that seismologists described as "pure coincidence." Sue Nava, a University of Utah seismologist, said a quake of magnitude 2.5 on the Richter scale struck at 7:42 a.m., followed by another of the same size at 7:49 a.m. Both had epicenters 7 miles northwest of Cedar City, about 255 miles south of Salt Lake City.

They were preceded by several smaller foreshocks and several small aftershocks. Nava said they were unrelated to the 7.4-magnitude quake in California. The Utah quakes were so small they likely weren't felt outside the immediate area around the epicenter. But the California quake and aftershocks were felt throughout much of the state. Albuquerque felt Southland's quakes Hanging plants and vertical blinds swung like pendulums, pool water sloshed rhythmically and a grandfather clock stopped short in Albuquerque on Sunday when a major earthquake hit Southern California.

One woman also reported her waterbed moving when the temblor struck. There were other signs, though. It apparently took a few minutes for the shock waves to reach Albuquerque. The official time of the quake was 4:58 a.m. PDT, and Jim Huber's grandfather clock stopped about five minutes later.

"This morning I discovered it stopped at 3V4 minutes after 6," said Huber. The clock is about 4 or 5 years old and has never stopped before, he said. "I was asleep at the lime. I didn't feel anything," he said. From Sun News Services ACNNanchorwoman was visibly startled when second Sunday quake interrupted her broadcast.

The Associated Press Television viewers tuned to Cable News Network for news of the earthquake that shook Southern California on Sunday got a dramatic glimpse of a strong second quake when it shook reporter Anne McDermott on the air. McDermott was at CNN's Lcs Angeles bureau, talking about post-earthquake traffic, when she and the cameras filming her began to shake. She stopped, and looked hard Talking can By Stephanie McKinnon Gannett News Service PALM SPRINGS Experiencing an earthquake can produce anxiety, stress and panic. Psychologists in California's Coa-chella Valley offered suggestions Sunday. After a quake, people often must deal with post-trauma stress, said Vicki Salvin of Palm Springs, a licensed clinical social worker specializing in trauma situations.

"People will re-experience some of the sensory stimuli they first experienced," she said. "An earthquake sends the body into such a state of hyper-alertness because the adrenaline is flow- alleviate post-quake anxiety Psychology ing, so we quickly without realizing what we're doing. It catches up to us once our bodies calm down." Salvin said people might relive the earthquake in their minds. They also might become anxious when they hear rumbling, such as airplanes, trains or just people walking by. "People arc almost waiting for it to happen again," said Michelle Yount-Smetna of Desert Psychiatric Group in Rancho Mirage.

They may become hyper-vigilant: "they find themselves short of breath, they have difficulty sleeping, might cry a lot, and children will be very clingy.".