I live near San Francisco in an apartment complex. There are many large redwood and maple trees in front of my patio. I have a doubt about taking cover under a table in case of an earthquake due to these trees 
In case of an earthquake is there a possibility that the redwood trees could fall on my apartment or are they deeply rooted? In other words should I take cover under something or run out of my apartment in case of the Great Earthquake?
Thanks!
Chosen Answer:
It is possible. However, the oldest redwood trees in California are 2200 years old and are in Redwoods National Park, located near some of the most hazardous faults in the state, the Mendocino Triple Junction. A major subduction quake is believed to have happened here about 300 years ago, and there is no evidence that it damaged the redwood forest.
http://www.nps.gov/redw/naturescience/naturalfeaturesandecosystems.htm
Those trees around your building are more likely to fall from man-made causes like changes in drainage patterns that cause landslide or soil movement. It is likely that those redwoods have been there through the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, which destroyed most of the city. They were most definitely there during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake that collapsed the Bay Bridge.
http://www.sfmuseum.org/alm/quakes3.html
You should follow these instructions:
http://www.shakeout.org/
You can’t run out of your apartment fast enough to escape in an earthquake. It will be over about the time you leave the building and anything falling from the building is likely to fall on you. That is one of the most common causes of fatalities in earthquakes.
http://earthquakecountry.info/dropcoverholdon/
by: carbonates
on: 3rd December 11