Fear of ‘Big One’ surges as earthquake strikes near fault in California

An earthquake has struck California as experts warn that the long-feared “Big One” could be approaching.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported that a 3.2-magnitude earthquake hit the city of Concord, northeast of San Francisco, late last week. It was the fourth quake in the area within 24 hours, highlighting growing concerns about seismic activity in the region.

Concord is located less than 10 km from the Hayward Fault, a known seismic hotspot. While the San Andreas Fault, which stretches over 800 km, remains the primary focus of earthquake preparedness, scientists warn that the Hayward Fault is also due for a major quake—potentially magnitude 7—in the coming years.

According to a USGS simulation, such an event could result in the deaths of 800 to 2,500 people, primarily in San Francisco and Oakland.

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley have calculated that the Hayward Fault generates a major earthquake approximately every 140 years.

“Since it has been more than 144 years since the last major earthquake, the clock is ticking. It is very likely that the Hayward fault will rupture and produce a significant earthquake within the next 30 years,” they warned.

(QG - Source: The Daily Mail— Picture : © Unsplash)