Will Durant is credited with the adage that “civilization exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice.” Major earthquakes are gray swan events, and so are volcanic eruptions. Mount Rainier, whose majestic cone is easily visible from Seattle, is an active volcano. Any such event is likely to have a huge impact on the region. Emerg

So it was on September 2, at four minutes after ten p.m., a shaker with what would later be determined as a moment magnitude of 7.1, a Modified Mercalli intensity of IX (“Violent”), and ground accelerations that went a full 2Gs, grabbed the city of Los Angeles by the throat, and throttled it like a wolf on a weasel for a full twenty-two seconds.