Experts gave a warning to Californians in the face of an impending earthquake from the San Andreas fault. An earthquake scientist said that the fault is "locked, loaded and ready to roll," foreseeing an earthquake shaking California anytime soon.
For hundreds of years, the San Andreas fault has remained very quiet, which for Thomas Jordan, director of the Southern California Earthquake Center, is alarming. Now, the once sleeping fault has become a real threat to Californians.
L.A. Times said that the San Andreas fault is California's longest fault. It is also the most dangerous. Although the last earthquake that struck the southern portion of San Andreas was in 1857, the silence of the fault is somewhat sinister.
"The springs on the San Andreas system have been wound very, very tight and the southern San Andreas fault, in particular, looks like it's locked, loaded and ready to go," said Jordan as per Daily Mail. He also added that other sections of the fault were likewise overdue for an earthquake.
It's been quiet...too quiet
— San Andreas Fault (@sanandreafault) February 19, 2016
Jordan emphasized that since the San Andreas fault is about to give in soon, efforts must be underway to prepare Californians against a potentially huge earthquake. He praised the efforts of Los Angeles government in crafting a law that required earthquake retrofits in apartments and buildings.
Aside from the retrofits, emphasis was also given in strengthening the city's aqueduct systems. Another area of concern was fortifying the telecommunications networks.
A geological survey in 2008 showed that a San Andreas fault earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 will lead to more than 1,800 deaths. The injuries come in tens of thousands and the damage will be worth around $200 billion.
While Los Angeles is not in the direct path of the San Andreas fault, it is expected that it will experience heavy shaking when a large earthquake happens. According to Jordan, when an earthquake occurs on the San Andreas fault, it will be a prolonged earthquake that could create a huge devastation in different California cities.
