Here are some earthquake myths according to multiple local and federal government agencies’ websites.
Earthquakes occur during earthquake weather: It is commonly believed that earthquakes happen when it is hot and dry. This dates back to the ancient Greeks. This is wrong, they take place miles underground, and can happen at any time in any weather.
The ground can open and swallow people: If a fault could open, there would be no friction. No friction means no earthquake. However, they do cause settling and other deformation that can include open fissures into which cars and people can fall.
California will fall into the sea from an earthquake: The San Andreas fault divides two tectonic plates, The Pacific Plate is moving in a northwesterly direction relative to the North American Plate. The movement is horizontal, so while Los Angeles is moving toward San Francisco, it won’t sink.
Big earthquakes occur early mornings: Earthquakes can’t tell time; large ones have happened in the evenings. People tend to remember earthquakes that fit a pattern.
