EARTHQUAKE

Data included in the article on the Loma Prieta earthquake (“The 7.1 Experiment,” by J. E. Ferrell, Feb. 11) pointed out, first, the unpredictable nature of such an occurrence and, second, the open-ended scale of potential devastation due to an unstable subsoil.

A third point answered a question I asked five years ago during community hearings on MetroRail subway construction. When I queried about the earthquake potential of the Los Angeles area, the RTD representative rejected my concerns, stating that Japan abounds with earthquakes and that the subway system is remarkably unaffected.

The subsoil of Japan is primarily volcanic rock. We know the Los Angeles area experiences land shifts and displacement due to the basic instability of the sandy sediment soil, and to the presence of and removal of oil and gaseous products.

As we are discovering new seismic scientific information on the causes and effects of liquefaction and amplification, let us reflect on what that means to MetroRail. Perhaps we can ask new questions, and in the light of better answers to the old ones, make newer and better decisions regarding that boondoggle.

LUCILLE SAUNDERS

Los Angeles