The Big One logo (Supplied by KPCC) Photo: (Supplied by KPCC)
Sooner or later 'The 'Big One'- a 7.8 magnitude earthquake- is going to hit Los Angeles and Southen California. In fact, there's a 50:50 chance this is going to happen in the next 30 years.
When it does, hundreds- perhaps thousands- of people will lose their lives, and the damage bill could approach US$300 billion.
Hearing about big earthquakes here in New Zealand and elsewhere made the Southern California public radio station KPCC think about how ready its local community really was for a natural disaster.
Its series 'The Big One' tries to picture what might happen after a big LA quake. and what you'll need to do to survive. Now to do this you could just present a series of interviews with talking heads in a studio discussing disaster preparedness: but that would probably be very dull. So the show follows a central character- it could be you!- and the challenges they face as they leave the central city and try to get home to their family. This first person narrative and some creative sound design helps put the listener right into the middle of things.
We speak to Jacob Margolis who presents the show and play some of episode 2 called 'The Walk' reported by Arwen Nicks, Misha Euceph and Jacob Margolis, edited by Megan Garvey, produced by Misha Euceph. With sound design by Arwen Nicks, music by Andy Clausen and engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera.
What's on Your Headphones? Listening recommendations from Jacob Margolis
- More Perfect (WNYC Studios/Radiolab)
- Heavyweight (Gimlet Media)
- The Daily (The New York Times)
- Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend (Earwolf)
- Bodega Boys
