Earthquake Experts Urge Californians to Prepare for Future Disasters.

In the wake of a series of small Southern California seismic events that prompted a state agency to issue a major earthquake alert, a panel of disaster management leaders urged residents to insure their property and take other steps to get prepared.

The appeal was made by representatives of the American Red Cross, the Los Angeles Emergency Management Department, the California Institute of Technology and the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) – the state-sanctioned not-for-profit insurer – at a November 17 earthquake preparedness forum organized by New America Media.

Southern Californians should prepare for an earthquake comparable to the magnitude 6.7 Northridge temblor in 1994, the last major seismic disaster in the region, according to panelists.