Arizona Drafts Response Plans for Major Quake

Concerns about the big quake expected to hit California are extending into neighboring Arizona, where state and local officials are updating contingency plans.

“We’re finding out that Arizona is more vulnerable than we originally suspected,” said Williams D. Lockwood, Arizona Division of Emergency Management director.

His agency is creating a response plan for “The Big One” in California, or even Arizona, and introduced the plan last week to government, military and law enforcement officials.

Lockwood said the briefing was prompted by renewed concerns about a huge quake along southern fault lines just 60 miles west of the Arizona border.

In addition to evaluating quake impact, Arizona has stepped up preparations to handle people fleeing Southern California.

Terry Wallace, a University of Arizona seismologist, said a major quake in the region would destroy many of Arizona’s “lifelines” to California, including highways and pipelines, and could shut down the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station west of Phoenix. It would probably disrupt food and pharmaceutical supply lines, because most of those goods are trucked to Arizona from California.

Earthquake program manager Reggie Yates said there are 12 faults in Arizona capable of earthquakes, primarily in the southeastern and northwestern areas of the state.