Local Earthquake Shocks Town
by Sammy Reed
Quake in Tehachapi ruptures family's plans
Middle schooler George Armenta was in the bathroom brushing his teeth in the early morning darkness when his house began to shake. He had woken up early, before dawn, to get ready for a family trip to Yosemite. The house was moving so much George had to put his hand out to the wall to keep from falling. All of the dogs in the neighborhood started barking. During the shaking, his grandmother shouted out “What’s happening?” Some pictures and knickknacks fell off of the shelves, but there was no damage to the house.
After the shaking stopped, George was very scared.
The family turned on the radio to hear the news about what had happened. They learned that there had been a 7.3 earthquake near the town of Tehachapi, California on July 11, 1952. The radio told them that the road they had been planning on using was closed because of the earthquake. George was sad because he thought his trip to Yosemite would be cancelled. Eventually, George’s father found another route to Yosemite around the closed roads. The family got to go on the vacation as planned.
George recommends that to best prepare for an earthquake you should make a plan with your family on where you will go in case of an earthquake. This way your family knows where to find you after an earthquake has occurred. He also recommends that you keep your cell phone charged at all times. The last thing George recommends is that you should follow the instructions of your instructors.