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Show Experts say it's impossible to predict quake in county satch Front or the Wasatch Fault specifically, but locations between 30 and 60 degrees north latitude (which includes Utah) were not mentioned. Unfortunately, some in the eastern U.S. have accepted the prediction and erroneously credited Browning with successfully predicting predic-ting the Oct. 17, 1989, Loma Prieta earthquake in California, and the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens in Washington. "In fact his predictions have been no better than random guesses,' said Stever. He explained that at this time earthquakes ear-thquakes cannot be predicted, however earthquake preparedness should remain a priority concern for the central U.S. even in the absence of official predictions for a major earthquake. Scientists agree there there is a 20 percent chance of a Richter magnitude of a 7 to 7.5 earthquake along the Wasatch Front in the next 50 years. Despite the implications of recent dramatized television presentations, pre-sentations, earthquakes are sur-vivable, sur-vivable, and earthquake preparedness does save lives and property. For more information on earthquake earth-quake preparedness, Davis County residents may call the Utah State Division of Comprehensive Emergency Management at 584-8370. By JUDY JENSEN i Editor I Phones at Davis County Emergency Services have been ringing off the hook this week since the broadcast of "The Big One," a television program depicting an earthquake ear-thquake in Los Angeles. According to Jan Givens, office manager for the Davis County Sheriffs Office, they have been answering an-swering questions from concerned citizens aU week. Givens speculated that many of the people calling are concerned because of the recent prediction by a mid-western scientist that the county will be involved in a large earthquake on Dec. 3. She explained ex-plained that Utah authorities have dismissed the speculation saying that Salt Lake is not a part of the area in question. The Sheriffs department is directing direc-ting callers to two sources of information. infor-mation. They may call toll-free 1-800 1-800 75-FAULT for information about the condition of faults along the Wasatch Front This recorded message explains the prediction and according to Mike Stever, Utah State training officer for Emergency Management, puts the prediction into perspective. "Some people are taking this prediction seriously, and it really upsets me when I see a mom dragging dragg-ing her three children in here for an earthquake brochure because she's convinced the world will end soon," said Stever. He said there is no scientific evidence to support the prediction. The forecast made by Iben Browning Brown-ing did not mention Utah, the Wa- I " S 1 I 4 Y ' f I v i X ' "? I Uv - f:- ( . '( ! . I 1 ' - T." - " , S 1 v ' , - , ' , 4. ' ,kJ, " m ,-. . . , -- - V&A-,-A&&'Sf X '' Z, , " . "r.m& , - " '" i Construction has started on the new Davis County high school located in Layton. If the construction is on schedule the school will be opened in the fall of 1992. School boundaries have not yet been established. |