"California will be Rocked by a Strong Mega-Quake" U,S.G.S Scientists Say

Chance of mega-quake hitting California increases

The southern San Andreas is “ready to have an earthquake because it’s really locked and loaded,” U.S.G.S scientists say
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While the risk of a mega-quake is higher than past estimates, it’s more likely—greater than 99 percent chance—that California will be rattled by a magnitude-6.7 jolt similar in size to the 1994 Northridge disaster.

The chance of a Northridge-size quake was slightly higher in Northern California than Southern California—95 percent versus 93 percent, according to a report released Tuesday by the U.S. Geological Survey.
“California is earthquake country, and residents should live every day like it could be the day of a big one,” USGS geophysicist and lead author Ned Field said.

Thousands of quakes every year hit California, sandwiched between two of Earth’s major tectonic plates, the Pacific and North American plates. Most are too small to be felt

The new report included newly discovered fault zones and the possibility that a quake can jump from fault to fault. Because of this knowledge, the odds of a catastrophic quake—magnitude 8 or larger—in the next 30 years increased.

physorg,com – Article By Alicia Chang

Read more here: http://phys.org/news/2015-03-strong-quake-california-future.html