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Southland Residents Take Part In 'California Great ShakeOut' Drill

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Millions of Southland residents were asked to "drop, cover and hold on" Thursday during an annual earthquake preparedness drill aimed at ensuring people are ready for the "big one."

More than 3.5 million people in Los Angeles County took part in the "Great California ShakeOut" at 10:20 a.m., officials said.

About 10.6 million people registered to take part in the drill statewide, including nearly 1 million in Orange County.

"I am glad that so many Angelenos are participating today, because in Los Angeles we know that a big quake is a matter of 'if,' not 'when,'" Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a written statement. "We just have to be prepared, and our city is taking proactive steps to save lives and property. We're making buildings and infrastructure more secure, fortifying our water system, and creating new partnerships in telecom, transportation and disaster response to make all of our communities more resilient."

During the drill, participants dropped to the ground, took cover underneath a desk, table or other sturdy surface, and held on for 60 seconds as if a major earthquake were occurring.

Participants were urged to look around during the drill and envision what objects might be falling, what damage could be occurring and if there was a way to escape the area afterward.

Californians should be prepared to be self-sufficient for 72 hours following an earthquake or other major disaster.

That includes having a first aid kit, medications, food and enough water for each member of a household to drink one gallon per day.

(©2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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