Opinion: Mexico quake: Is it just me, or are the temblors heading for L.A.?

A magnitude 7.2 temblor hit Mexico on Friday, with shaking felt across much of the country. Is it just me, oh fellow residents of La La Land, or does it feel like — in earthquake-speak — the Big One is getting just a little too close for comfort?

No, no, I’m not basing this on some new scientific theory. Conversely, no, my cat has not been acting oddly.

It’s just that, well, there’s been a whole lot of shaking going on lately.

Friday’s Mexico quake came on the heels of the magnitude 8.2 temblor that rocked Chile on April 1.

And then there’s the recent swarm of quakes in central Utah, the largest being a magnitude 4.9 on April 13.

Plus, of course, Los Angeles’ own “little” shaker on March 28, a magnitude 5.1 quake that rattled buildings — and nerves — across the region. It caused some minor damage and was felt by an estimated 17 million people.

All of which makes me, um, a little bit twitchy. I’m not saying I’m ready to move to higher, firmer ground. But if a Santa Ana wind comes up and we get a week or so of “earthquake weather” — well, let’s just say that I’m staying away from tall buildings and freeway overpasses.

Speaking of earthquake weather and other such quake urban myths, you might like to know that California is not wasting all of your tax dollars. At the state Department of Conservation’s website, you’ll find a handy-dandy little page titled “Earthquake Mythology or... Don’t Believe Everything You Hear!”

Here, you will find such gems as:

“Earthquakes occur during ‘earthquake weather.’ The common misconception that earthquakes occur during hot and dry weather dates to the ancient Greeks. Earthquakes take place miles underground, and can happen at any time in any weather.”

Want more? Glad you asked:

“Big earthquakes always occur early in the morning. Just as earthquakes don’t care about the weather, they can’t tell time. The 1940 Imperial Valley quake was at 9:36 p.m., the 1989 Loma Prieta quake at 5:02 p.m. People who perpetuate the time and weather myths tend to remember the earthquakes that fit the pattern and forget about the ones that don’t.”

OK, sure, but just from personal experience, the 1988 Whittier Narrows quake — which scared me half to death — and the 1994 Northridge temblor struck in the predawn hours. So there.

“California could fall into the sea because of an earthquake.” A long scientific explanation here, but suffice to say, unfortunately for Ted Cruz and Rush Limbaugh, not true.

And finally, and more to my theory: “Earthquakes are becoming more frequent.” Not so, says the site. However — and I think this is an excellent rebuttal, if you don’t mind me saying so — it doesn’t say when this page was updated. For all I know, it was written in 1953. So do we really know that earthquakes aren’t becoming more frequent?

And there’s plenty more. Who says government never did anything for you?

Anyway, maybe these latest shrugs by Mother Earth mean nothing. But we all know the Big One is gonna hit — someday.

It was Mexico City that got a jolt Friday morning. And Chile on April Fool’s Day.

So, just in case, L.A.: Get prepared.

ALSO:

No wonder L.A. is the city of broken sidewalksPortland’s ‘big flush’ proves it: Life’s better there than in SoCal

Does new marijuana study back Gov. Brown’s warning about pot smokers?Follow Paul Whitefield on Twitter @PaulWhitefield1 and Google +