Researchers warn stress building on San Andreas Fault may lead to massive earthquake
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University of Hawaiʻi researchers warn that California‘s San Andreas Fault has reached its highest stress level in 1,000 years.
The intertwined San Jacinto Fault is also in a critically loaded state, with both fault systems capable of a large, simultaneous rupture.
The Cajon Pass may act as an ‘earthquake gate,’ potentially allowing a combined rupture of both faults, threatening millions in cities like Los Angeles.
Researchers used physics-based computer modeling and 1,000 years of earthquake data to simulate the stress, though earthquake prediction is not yet possible.
The findings are crucial for emergency preparation efforts, hazard assessments, and infrastructure planning, as there is a high chance of 7.0-magnitude quakes in coming decades.
