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Californians Urged To Be Earthquake-Ready

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Emergency response authorities are urging Californians to take earthquake preparedness seriously and plan on having to take care of themselves for up to two weeks in a disaster.

Experts gathered Thursday at a Los Angeles County Fire Department training facility drew attention to the issue of personal readiness in advance of the Oct. 21 "Great California ShakeOut."

The annual statewide earthquake drill will see millions of people dive under desks and tables at the same time to practice the drop, cover and hold technique for surviving a temblor.

Friday is the 23rd anniversary of the magnitude-5.9 Whittier Narrows earthquake, which killed eight people and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage in eastern Los Angeles County.

© Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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