These earthquake safety tips aren’t all they’re cracked up to be

Should you stand in a doorway for protection during an earthquake? Can your dog or cat predict an imminent tremor? Will California eventually break off and fall into the ocean?

Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths about earthquakes, and not ones about angry gods shaking the earth, either.

Some are based on advice that once was good but has become outdated, while others are just nonsense passed down from generation to generation or seen only in the movies.

“People will believe what they want to believe,” SanAndreasFault.org said.

Here’s what to know about earthquake myths:

Myth: Stand in a doorway during an earthquake

Doorways were once considered the strongest part of a building’s structure, giving rise to the idea that standing inside one offers greater protection during an earthquake, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services said.

Not so much, according to engineers.

“Modern building codes and construction have significantly improved the structural integrity of all parts of buildings, meaning that doorways are no safer than other areas,” Cal OES said.

Instead of rushing to a doorway, drop, cover and hold on during a tremor, the office advised.

Myth: California will someday fall into the ocean

“The ocean is not a great hole into which California can fall,” according to Cal Poly Pomona. The ocean is just land at a slightly lower elevation with water above it.

“It’s absolutely impossible that California will be swept out to sea,” the university said.

Instead, southwestern California is gradually moving toward Alaska as it slides past Central and Northern California along the San Andreas Fault, Cal Poly Pomona said.

But it’s going to be about 70 million years before Los Angeles residents will need Alaska zip codes, the university said.

Myth: Earthquakes can be predicted

Sorry, but scientists don’t possess magic earthquake-detecting technology, Cal OES said.

“Unfortunately, earthquake prediction remains an extremely challenging endeavor,” the office said.

Scientists can monitor fault lines and detect patterns of seismic activity, but they can’t predict specific earthquakes with precision.

ShakeAlert and other warning systems can alert you to prepare for an earthquake once one occurs, since seismic activity takes time to radiate out, similar to ripples in a pond. But that’s not a prediction.

Myth: Animals can sense a future earthquake

While there have been cases of animals acting oddly before an earthquake, a connection hasn’t been proved, Cal Poly Pomona said.

It’s also possible that animals, which frequently have keener senses, may be detecting the early stages of a quake before it can be felt by humans — but that’s not a prediction, since it’s already happening.

“But animals also change their behavior for many reasons, and given that an earthquake can shake millions of people, it is likely that a few of their pets will, by chance, be acting strangely before an earthquake,” Cal Poly Pomona said.

Myth: ‘Earthquake weather’ precedes a quake

Some people believe that hot, dry or windy weather means an earthquake is imminent. But there’s no such thing as “earthquake weather,” Cal OES said.

“Earthquakes are caused by the movement of tectonic plates beneath the Earth’s surface, and weather patterns are not reliable indicators of impending seismic activity,” the agency said.

People may be noticing quakes that seem to fit this pattern and forgetting about the ones that don’t, Cal Poly Pomona said.

“Also, every region of the world has a story about earthquake weather, but the type of weather is whatever they had for their most memorable earthquake,” the university said.

There’s also no truth to the idea that the strongest earthquakes always hit at the same time of day.

Myth: Small quakes relieve pressure, preventing bigger ones

While smaller earthquakes may relieve some pressure on faults, it’s not really enough to avert a major quake, Cal OES said.

“In fact, a sequence of smaller quakes can sometimes indicate that a larger one is on the horizon, but not always,” the agency said.

So it’s actually a bit of the opposite.

Myth: The ground can open up during an earthquake

We’ve seen it in the movies — the earth begins to shake, then fissures crack open and swallow up screaming extras or the occasional inconvenient supporting character.

But that’s not really how earthquakes work, Cal Poly Pomona said.

Faults simply don’t split open during an earthquake, although landslides may create the occasional crevice.

Myth: Aftershocks are always smaller than the main quake

“While most aftershocks may be smaller than the initial shaking, they are no less destructive than the first impact,” Cal OES said.

For example, the 1994 Northridge quake in Los Angeles was a magnitude 6.7, but the aftershocks ranging up to magnitude 6.0 were only slightly less destructive.

In fact, since aftershocks rattle buildings already damaged by the main quake, the damage can actually be worse, Cal OES said.

Aftershocks also can occur weeks or months after the initial quake.

Myth: Quakes are only a hazard in the Bay Area and Southern California

In fact, earthquakes can occur anywhere, Cal OES said.

“Earth’s crust is divided into tectonic plates, and movement can occur along the boundaries of these plates or within them,” the agency said. “This means that regions far from plate boundaries, like the central United States, can experience earthquakes.”

No place is immune from earthquakes in California, the agency said. The San Andreas Fault may get all the publicity — and even a movie named after it — but it’s only one fault among many.

Myth: California has the most quakes in the United States

The Golden State may have had some of the most famous quakes, such as the 1906 San Francisco quake, but it’s not the most quake-prone state in the union.

That dubious honor goes to Alaska, with California placing second, Cal Poly Pomona said.

California does take the top spot for the highest-risk and most damaging earthquakes because of its much larger population, the university said.

Florida and North Dakota have the fewest earthquakes per year in the United States.

This story was originally published May 11, 2026 at 3:54 PM with the headline "These earthquake safety tips aren’t all they’re cracked up to be."