Earthquakes! An increasing number of them, have devastated parts of the world in recent years. Thousands have been killed, cities left in rubble. Tuesday night on NBC Dateline experts talked of the possibility of predicting earthquakes. But, Utah seismologists claim "preparation" is better than prediction! News Specialist Robert Walz shows us why we should all be concerned about earthquakes.

If we lived on the lanes of the midwest, or on the eastern coast, earthquakes would be less threatening. But we live in the rocky mountains, one of the highest seismologically active areas in the country.

Earthquakes have occurred in all parts of the world. Powers more forceful than an atomic bomb letting lose without any notice. Many have tried to predict when and where earthquakes will strike, but the science is not yet possible.

JIM PECHMANN-SEISMOLOGIST: "NOBODY HAS YET FIGURED OUT A RELIABLE WAY TO PREDICT EARTHQUAKES AT LEAST IN THE SHORT TERM."

While predicting earthquakes is not yet possible, University of Utah Seismologist Jim Pechmann says forecasting earth quakes is possible. Geological history shows strong earthquakes created the mountains we live by, and current monitoring shows the ground is still moving.

PSCHMANN: "WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF EARTHQUAKES EVERYDAY IN UTAH."

Most of the earthquakes are so small only this sensitive equipment at the U. of U. seismograph station can detect them. But seismologists say the quakes are common in these seismological active areas--a fact Peshman says people who live here should recognize.

PESCHMANN: "A LARGE DAMAGING EARTHQUAKE COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME AND THEY OUGHT TO BE PREPARED FOR IT."

Most new construction in Salt Lake is built to modern earthquake standards, so is the new interstate that we will soon drive on, and many older buildings can be brought up to modern earth quake codes. But many buildings in Utah still have unsecured mortar.

PESCHMANN: "WHAT KILLS PEOPLE DURING EARTHQUAKES IS HAVING BUILDINGS AND OTHER THINGS FALL ON THEM. IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN THEN YOU ARE NOT LIKELY TO GET HURT."

Seismologists say historically an earthquake hits the Wasatch Front area every 350 years or so. So the next one could be a hundred years from now--but then again, it could happen tomorrow.