80th Anniversary of Long Beach Quake on Saturday

Sunday will mark the 80th anniversary of the 6.4 magnitude Long Beach Earthquake and Long Beach city officials are hoping to commemorate the occasion by helping residents prepare for the next "big one."

On Saturday, March 9, the city will host a "Get Ready Long Beach" workshop at the El Dorado Community Center to help residents understand the impact another major quake will have on the city of nearly half a million people.

Officials said the workshop, organized by councilwoman Gerrie Schipske, will feature representatives from FEMA, the United States Geological Survey and the American Red Cross, among others.

"Where else would Long Beach residents have an opportunity to learn from federal, state, county and local experts on emergency preparedness and how to cope with the aftermath of a major disaster?" Schipske said in a release. "We hope that everyone attending will be able to use their knowledge to prepare their homes and to share with their neighbors too."

On March 10, 1933, the Long Beach quake caused an estimated $50 million in damage and led to 120 deaths. More than 90 percent of Long Beach schools were severely damaged in the quake, forcing children to attend classes in tents and in parks for more than two years, officials said.

The city also added that experts believe California has a 99.7 percent chance of being devastated by a magnitude 6.7 earthquake or higher within the next 30 years. If that "big one" were to occur on the San Andreas fault, many believe it will produce a magnitude 7.5 earthquake or greater.

Saturday's free workshop will run from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the El Dorado Community Center, 2800 North Studebaker. Reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling 562-570-6932 or by emailing district5@longbeach.gov.

The event feature giveaways from organizations and will be moderated by KCET vice president of news and public affairs and SoCal Connected anchor Val Zavala.