Sorry, no .gif files available for the photos from the article. In the United States, whenever people think of earthquakes, they naturally think of California. While we certainly have our share of earth shaking events out here, they are in no way limited to the west coast, as evidenced by recent moderately strong temblors that shook areas of the Dakotas, Wyoming, and even the northeast.
Earthquakes can occur almost anywhere.
The are among the most costly of all natural disasters - in terms of both dollars and in human lives. Whenever the ground shakes, so do people's nerves. Phones ring, emergency services are activated, and the radio comes alive with traffic. Communication lines become jammed as people report damage, call for help, or try to contact their family and friends. The effects are stimulating to some, devastating to others.