Those living in earthquake country know to visit USGS.gov to know how big a temblor was. But thanks to Capitol Hill gridlock, the site had no information after a 3.1 shock Sunday night. October 6, 2013 10:05 PM PDT Thanks to the government shutdown, no information about a Sunday night earthquake was available on the USGS Web site, usually the most reliable and credible source of data about temblors. (Credit: Screen shot by CNET) If you live in earthquake country, you know that the first place to go for information on how big a temblor was, or where it was centered, is the U.S. Geological Survey's Web site. But tonight, thanks to the federal government shutdown, when a 3.1 magnitude shock hit the San Francisco Bay Area, USGS.gov visitors wanting to know just how strong the shaking was received an entirely different message. "Due to the Federal government shutdown, usgs.gov and most associated web sites are unavailable," the site read. "Only Web sites necessary to protect lives and property will be maintained." One might ask how big a quake would have to hit for the federal agency to deem its services necessary to protect lives and property." And tonight's shaking wouldn't rate, since a measurement of 3.1 on the Richter Scale is relatively minor. By comparison, the 1989 earthquake that killed dozens and knocked down freeways and buildings in and around San Francisco registered 7.1. And to be sure, there are other places to get information about the size of a quake. On Twitter, users were reporting the 3.1 number thanks to data provided by Earthquake Track. Twitter users were also pointing out the lack of available information from the USGS. But when one of the most credible of all sources of information about something as important as earthquakes is no longer available, it does drive home that the shutdown of the federal government is more than just an exercise in political shouting.
Those living in earthquake country know to visit USGS.gov to know how big a temblor was. But thanks to Capitol Hill gridlock, the site had no information after a 3.1 shock Sunday night.
Thanks to the government shutdown, no information about a Sunday night earthquake was available on the USGS Web site, usually the most reliable and credible source of data about temblors.
(Credit: Screen shot by CNET)
If you live in earthquake country, you know that the first place to go for information on how big a temblor was, or where it was centered, is the U.S. Geological Survey's Web site.
But tonight, thanks to the federal government shutdown, when a 3.1 magnitude shock hit the San Francisco Bay Area, USGS.gov visitors wanting to know just how strong the shaking was received an entirely different message.
"Due to the Federal government shutdown, usgs.gov and most associated web sites are unavailable," the site read. "Only Web sites necessary to protect lives and property will be maintained."
One might ask how big a quake would have to hit for the federal agency to deem its services necessary to protect lives and property." And tonight's shaking wouldn't rate, since a measurement of 3.1 on the Richter Scale is relatively minor. By comparison, the 1989 earthquake that killed dozens and knocked down freeways and buildings in and around San Francisco registered 7.1.
And to be sure, there are other places to get information about the size of a quake. On Twitter, users were reporting the 3.1 number thanks to data provided by Earthquake Track.
Twitter users were also pointing out the lack of available information from the USGS.
But when one of the most credible of all sources of information about something as important as earthquakes is no longer available, it does drive home that the shutdown of the federal government is more than just an exercise in political shouting.
