Earthquake safety

Every few months a small earthquake rattles the dishes in Palo Alto and reminds people where they live. The big one is a matter of when, not if. In its long-term forecast the U.S. Geological Survey put the chance of at least one magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake in the San Francisco Bay region between 2014 and 2043 at 72 percent. The 1906 earthquake wrecked much of the Stanford campus, a story told in our 1906 earthquake history.

This page goes deeper on earthquakes specifically: the faults, early warning, what to do in the moment, how to make a house safer and what the city has done about vulnerable buildings. Our emergency preparedness guide covers alerts, volunteer programs and the other hazards. The advice below follows the city's earthquake page and Ready.gov.

The faults near Palo Alto

Two major faults frame the city.

• San Andreas Fault. It runs up the Peninsula a few miles west of town, through the hills near Portola Valley and Woodside. Its 1906 rupture caused the damage at Stanford. Hikers can see signs of it at the Los Trancos Open Space Preserve, which has a fault trail.
• Hayward Fault. It runs along the base of the East Bay hills on the far side of the bay. Its last major earthquake was in 1868.

Smaller faults cross the foothills closer to town. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, centered in the Santa Cruz Mountains, also damaged Stanford buildings. Shaking strength depends on soil as well as distance. The Palo Alto annex to the county's hazard mitigation plan rates liquefaction potential as moderate to high from near the center of the city toward the bay, where the ground is softer.

Early warning on your phone

California has an earthquake early warning system that detects a quake as it starts and sends alerts ahead of the slower shaking waves. You get seconds, not minutes. If you are close to the epicenter you may get none. Seconds are still enough to drop to the floor, step away from a window or set down a pot of boiling water.

• MyShake. The city's earthquake page recommends this free app for Android and iPhone. It is designed to deliver alerts seconds before you feel the ground shake.
• Wireless Emergency Alerts. Leave them on in your phone settings. The city lists them alongside MyShake.
• AlertSCC. The county's system will not warn you before shaking, but it will carry instructions afterward. Our emergency alerts guide explains how to register.

When an alert sounds, do not stop to read it. Drop, Cover and Hold On first.

During the shaking

The standard advice is Drop, Cover and Hold On. Ready.gov's earthquake page spells it out:

1. Drop to your hands and knees before the shaking knocks you down.
2. Cover your head and neck with your arms. Get under a sturdy table or desk if one is close.
3. Hold On to your shelter until the shaking stops.

Where you are changes the details.

Practice makes the move automatic. The Great ShakeOut drill takes place on the third Thursday of October each year. Schools and many offices join in and households can register too.

Right after the quake

• Expect aftershocks. Drop, Cover and Hold On again each time.
• Check for injuries. Help others if you are trained.
• Leave damaged buildings. Ready.gov says to get out, move away quickly and not go back in.
• Think about gas. The city warns that gas lines may break after a disaster. If you smell gas or hear a hiss, leave and call 911 or the city's gas line at (650) 329-2579 from a safe place. Our utilities guide lists the other utility numbers.
• Text, do not call. Save phone calls for emergencies so networks stay open.
• If you are trapped, cover your mouth and signal by texting, tapping on a pipe or wall or using a whistle. Ready.gov advises this instead of shouting.
• Listen for news. A battery radio is useful if power and cell service fail. Our power outages guide covers the next few days without electricity.

Making your home safer

In most homes the bigger risk is things falling or breaking, not the house collapsing. A weekend of work cuts the risk a lot.

1. Strap the water heater to wall studs, top and bottom.
2. Anchor tall furniture. Bookcases, dressers and TVs should be fastened to studs.
3. Move heavy things low. Keep heavy and breakable items on lower shelves and away from beds.
4. Latch cabinets in the kitchen and garage.
5. Learn your shutoffs. Know where the gas, water and electric shutoffs are and keep a wrench by the gas meter.
6. Look at the structure. Older houses may need the frame bolted to the foundation or short cripple walls braced. The city links to the state's Homeowner's Guide to Earthquake Safety.

Retrofit work usually needs a building permit. Our building permits guide explains the process. Ready.gov also points out that standard homeowners insurance does not cover earthquake damage. Earthquake insurance is a separate policy worth pricing.

The city's seismic program

Palo Alto was early to address risky buildings. In 1986 the City Council adopted the Seismic Hazards Identification Program, in Chapter 16.42 of the municipal code. According to a 2017 city staff report, the program required owners of three kinds of buildings to have them evaluated and report the results:

• Unreinforced masonry buildings
• Buildings from before 1935 with 100 or more occupants
• Buildings from before August 1976 with 300 or more occupants

The program identified 89 buildings. All owners reported. About 66 buildings were strengthened, demolished or proposed for demolition. Downtown owners could earn extra floor area for upgrading. Retrofits beyond evaluation were largely voluntary.

Soft-story buildings

A soft-story building has a weak ground floor, often open parking or large shop windows, under one or more floors of apartments. These collapsed in past California quakes. The 2017 study counted 294 wood-frame soft-story buildings built before 1977 and 37 concrete ones and staff recommended adding new categories with a mix of voluntary and mandatory retrofits. The study estimated that losses from a large nearby earthquake could reach about $2 billion without action.

We could not confirm from city sources whether a mandatory soft-story ordinance has been adopted since then. If you rent or are buying in an older apartment building, ask the owner whether it has been evaluated or retrofitted and check with the city's Development Services department. Our renting guide covers other questions to ask a landlord.

Grant help for these buildings is limited too. Palo Alto was not among the 14 cities in the state's August 2026 multi-unit soft-story grant round. Our earthquake retrofit guide explains the grant programs and the work involved.

Your earthquake kit and plan

The city's earthquake page asks residents to be ready to be isolated and on their own for at least three days and nights, since emergency responders may be delayed for hours or days. Its family preparedness page recommends 14 days of supplies for your household and pets. Ready.gov's kit list includes:

• Water and food for every person and pet
• A flashlight, extra batteries and phone chargers
• A first aid kit, a fire extinguisher and a whistle
• Copies of important papers
• Plans for medication needs and pets

Pick an out-of-area contact everyone can call or text and choose a place to meet if you are separated. Learn your children's school release policies. The city's Block Preparedness Coordinator class and CERT training, described in our volunteering guide, teach neighbors to check on each other after a quake.

Frequently asked questions