Narrator: In other words, we're overdue for a major shake. File photo: Some of the mountains of California pictured from above. Tectonic movement along the fault has been associated with occasional large . If it were particularly rainy, landslides would be a major concern. Energy has been building up along the San Andreas Fault for more than a century. If the earthquake were to occur during a Santa Ana wind event, the spread of fires could be catastrophic. The coral island of San Andres is a diverse ecosystem of reefs, geysers, groves, and cays. There's three, four, five sections, to this faultand many other faults running in parallelbut we worry about a Big One striking in the north or in the south of the San Andreas. Theres very little we can say about anything happening south influencing the northern San Andreas.. Stewart: So, if you have natural-gas lines that rupture, that's how you can get fire and explosions. The movement of the plates relative to each other has been about 1 cm (0.4 inch) per year over geologic time, though the annual rate of movement has been 4 to 6 cm (1.6 to 2.4 inches) per year since the early 20th century. Southern San Andreas fault (Southern California), magnitude 7.8: 1,800 dead, 50,000 injured, $200 billion in damage, more than 250,000 displaced from homes ( scenario website ). San Andreas Fault: The Big One Is 'Inevitable'but What Will Happen She felt paralyzed: L.A. woman sues Big Surs Esalen Institute for alleged use of video with N-word in class. ANewsweekreport specified, the effect of the "northern big one" would be tremendous. An earthquake occurs when this built-up strain gets released and in the case of the southern San Andreas, that release is long overdue. California flooding: 80% of Sierra Nevada snowpack hasnt melted yet, Capitola Village ready for peak season as it recovers from January storm, Storms bring tornado, flooding to the east coast. That would cripple the economy. Vidale: It's basically moving the ground several yards over an area of 50 square miles. John Vidale: You know, here in California you have dangers from a number of different kinds of earthquakes. Big earthquakes on the San Andreas Fault are inevitable, and by geologic standards extremely common, but probably will not be exactly like this one. Brandenberg: There could be thousands of landslides. Meanwhile, experts warn that the southern San Andreas fault which slices through Los Angeles County and north of the San Gabriel Mountains could cause powerful earthquakes of up to magnitude 8 and would likely affect populated communities in Southern California. What would happen if the San Andreas fault ruptured? The San Andreas is the most worrisome, because it generates the quakes that are really dangerous to California residents, Jordan notes. Along the southern end of the fault, there are several strands. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the San Andreas Fault Zone (SAFZ) is the main part of the boundary between the Pacific tectonic plate on the west and the North. California sits at the border between two major tectonic platesthe Pacific plate, which is moving northwest, and the North American plate, which is sliding past it to the southeast. EDITOR'S NOTE: This video was originally published in August 2019. The U.S. Geological Survey calculated those quakes as having violent shaking, or an intensity of 9 on a 10-point scale. Narrator: On average, the San Andreas Fault ruptures every 150 years.The southern parts of the fault have remained inactive for over 200 years. Christianson identified 15 cities that are ranked as Sever Impact with a combined population of 3.8 million people excluding areas with less than 100,000 people. I have a 55-gallon drum full of water. If roads are closed and people are all trying to leave, it's gonna really be bad. According to a 2008 federal report, the most likely scenario is a 7.8 magnitude quake that would rupture a 200-mile stretch along the southernmost part of the fault. If a large earthquake ruptures the San Andreas fault, the death toll could approach 2,000, and the shaking could lead to damage in every city in Southern California from Palm Springs to San Luis Obispo, seismologist Lucy Jones has said. What would happen if the San Andreas Fault line broke off? Earthquakes tend to happen around faults and the edge of the tectonic . Could an earthquake like san andreas happen? What would a powerful earthquake feel like where you live? While its magnitude is uncertain, scientists have estimated that it . The major danger is from the earthquakes on the San Andreas Fault system. Although there has not been a major movement in recent years, seismologists believe that it could happen at any time. Right? Its about being miserable after the earthquake and people giving up on Southern California, says Jones. In China or Turkey or Iraq, the buildings are so bad that it really is terrifying when they're are all falling down around you. We dont think thats likely, he says. Sarah Zielinski The earthquakes that have happened in the meantime are still devastating to a local area, but instead of magnitude eight, they're more like magnitude seven. All Rights Reserved. Lucy Jones says this is the most important thing you can do to prepare for a quake. The changes in fault stresses, resulting from a pair of strong earthquakes last July, increase the likelihood of a quake on a stretch of the San Andreas in the next 12 months to about 1 percent . Jones spent most of 2014 working with the LA mayor's office to identify vulnerabilities and better prepare the city for the inevitable. . What will happen with the San Andreas Fault? We figure we might be able to eliminate maybe 10 to 30 percent of the impact of an earthquake by warning people when the shaking is coming. Narrator: As the ground shakes and sediments shift, there will be landslides throughout Ventura and Western Los Angeles County. Sinan Akciz Turkey Earthquake Study 2023 - Geological Sciences | CSUF Heres what could happen. Tsunami Record from the Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake The data and calculations will be input into hazard-assessment models, used by scientists and governments to plan and prepare for the fallout from an earthquake. Narrator: On average, the San Andreas Fault ruptures every 150 years. Get under some piece of furniture. There are faults of different types and sizes; however, one of the most important ones is the San Andreas fault, for being one of the largest of its kind. In areas that sustain significant damage, many people would be camping outdoors. #whatif #sanandreas #fault #earthquake VOICE ACTOR:Jarred Bronstein: http://instagram.com/Bronst7VIDEO EDITED BY:Jim O'Handley: https://vimeo.com/jimohandleyFor business inquiries, please contact lifesbiggestquestion@gmail.com