By Nancy Bye
Earthquake threat revised for Southern California
Last updated 5/22/2015 at 3:22pm
Last month the U.S. Geological Survey said the estimated risk of a magnitude 8.0 earthquake has increased. Ned Field, a USGS geophysicist and lead author of the study, said the forecast used a model that incorporates latest research and date. “...we’ve just realized that we’re dealing not with separate, isolated faults but a vast interconnected system of faults.”
Scientists have long warned that the southern portion of the San Andreas fault, which runs through the Coachella Valley is overdue for a strong earthquake because the last time a quake hit in this area was around 1690. Field tells the Desert Sun, “The southern Andreas going up through the Mojave is the most likely place in the state to host a large earthquake.”
Interestingly, there is a disaster movie due out the end of May, titled “San Andreas.”
