To be honest, I've been living in the U.S. for 20 years, and I had never heard of the 1971 San Fernando earthquake until I moved to the Valley.

When I thought of "the place where a big earthquake happened" in LA, I only knew about the Northridge earthquake.

However, while researching local history, I thought, "Wait, something like this happened near where I live?"

On February 9, 1971, at 6:01 AM, while most people were just waking up or getting ready for work, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the San Fernando Valley. The epicenter was north of Sylmar, and the depth was about 7 miles, which caused significant shaking.

At that time, 65 people lost their lives, and over 2,000 were injured.

When adjusted for today's value, the damage was estimated to exceed $3.2 billion, giving an idea of how significant the disaster was.

As I continued to look for more information, I really broke out in a cold sweat. The scariest part was the story of the Van Norman Dam. It was reported that about 30 feet of the dam's upper structure collapsed due to the earthquake, which could have resulted in a massive amount of water pouring out all at once.

Later, UCLA analyzed the worst-case scenario and found that if the dam had completely failed, the death toll could have ranged from 70,000 to 120,000 people.

Reading that part gave me chills. "Wow... if the situation had been just a little worse, the history of LA could have changed completely."

Fortunately, the dam held up, and the approximately 80,000 residents who evacuated were eventually able to return home. It was truly a matter of a thin line.

After this incident, the perspective on earthquakes in the U.S. changed entirely. The Alquist-Priolo Act was established to prevent buildings from being constructed near fault lines, and the earthquake monitoring system was significantly expanded.

The strict seismic design of buildings in California today is a result of these painful experiences.

But that wasn't the end of it. I thought, "Surely there wouldn't be another big earthquake after this?" but in 1994, another magnitude 6.7 Northridge earthquake occurred.

The freeways collapsed in all directions, countless homes were damaged, and the economic impact was recorded as one of the largest earthquake damages in U.S. history. Looking at photos from that time, you might wonder, "Is this really America?" I heard it took a long time to restore the 10 Freeway, which was cut off.

So these days, when experts talk about the 'Big One,' I can't help but feel a bit anxious.

No one knows when it will come or if it will come at all. It could be tomorrow or decades from now.

However, living in California, I can't ignore the possibility. I worry that recent news about water main breaks might be due to ground movement.

So my thoughts have changed a lot. I used to think, "Surely that wouldn't happen to me?" but now I'm gradually preparing emergency supplies like bottled water, flashlights, and backup batteries.

I also think it would be wise to secure large furniture like bookshelves and TVs. I feel the need to look into earthquake insurance at least once.

I'm not trying to scare anyone. However, living in the San Fernando Valley means not only enjoying the sunny California lifestyle but also being aware of the need for basic preparedness for natural disasters. News about geological movements in Palos Verdes and Malibu continues to come out.

Being prepared in advance reduces anxiety. I believe that's the most realistic advice shared by those who have lived in this area for a long time.