Most of the 39 significant earthquakes that have struck California within the last 24 hours have happened along the San Andreas Fault. The following comes from CBS News...
A swarm of earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault, the largest measuring a 4.1 magnitude, rumbled through the Hollister area and the Salinas Valley Friday morning. CBS San Francisco, citing officials, reports the quakes rattled nerves but caused no major damage.Officials are saying that this shaking was caused by "movement along the San Andreas Fault system", and the initial magnitude 4.1 quake was quickly followed by a series of more than 20 aftershocks...
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the 4.1 quake hit at 5:58 a.m. PDT 12 miles southwest of the small community of Tres Pinos. It was followed by quakes measuring 3.6, 3.2 and 3.0.
After a magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck 12 miles from Hollister at 5:58 a.m., more than 20 aftershocks rattled the area in the following hours. The smaller quakes registered as high as 3.6 magnitude and were felt as far away as Monterey and Santa Cruz.When you live in an area that sits along a major earthquake fault, it can be easy to forget the potential danger if nothing happens for an extended period of time.
But the danger is always there, and for many California residents the rattling that we witnessed on Friday was a clear reminder of that fact.
Thankfully, these earthquakes did not cause substantial damage, but local residents were definitely shaken up...
One in Hollister said: "Was asleep, felt like someone was shaking the bed."Hopefully this current shaking will fizzle out and things will go back to normal.
Another resident in Monterey Bay expressed concern that recent quakes could indicate a major earthquake - commonly known as the 'Big One' - could be on the way.
They wrote: "Been feeling a lot of tremors the last several months.
"The Hayward Fault is overdue and coming to thump. Any time now. It's definitely coming relatively soon."
But experts tell us that California is definitely overdue for a major earthquake and that "the Big One" will happen at some point...
Experts say California is overdue for a huge earthquake with some warning a major magnitude 7.0 is likely within the next 30 years.And when "the Big One" does strike, it could potentially be far worse than most people have ever imagined.
A 2008 report by USGS described the Hayward Fault, which runs to the east of San Francisco, as a "tectonic time bomb" which could threaten the city's seven million residents.
In a previous article, I quoted from a news story about a recent study that concluded that a major earthquake could potentially "plunge large parts of California into the sea almost instantly"...
The Big One may be overdue to hit California, but scientists near LA have found a new risk for the area during a major earthquake.When I first read that, I was absolutely stunned.
They claim that if a major tremor hits the area, it could plunge large parts of California into the sea almost instantly.
The discovery was made after studying the Newport-Inglewood fault, which has long been believed to be one of Southern California's danger zones.
But according to Cal State Fullerton professor Matt Kirby, there is a very strong possibility that this could actually happen someday...
Cal State Fullerton professor Matt Kirby, who worked with the Leeper on the study, said the sinking would occur quickly and likely result in part of California being covered by the sea.The fact that our planet is entering a time of unprecedented seismic activity has been a major theme in my work for a very long time, and I am particularly concerned about the west coast. Just a few weeks ago, there was some unusual shaking farther north along the Cascadia Subduction Zone, and I anticipate that the shaking of coastal areas will continue to intensify until things finally break loose.
"It's something that would happen relatively instantaneously," Prof Kirby said. "Probably today if it happened, you would see seawater rushing in."
And the truth is that we can see signs of impending change all around us. Down in southern California, a "moving sinkhole" is now traveling up to 60 feet a day, and it is "destroying everything in its path"...
It is the beginning of the San Andreas fault, where experts fear 'The Big One' could begin.Of course this is not just a west coast phenomenon. We have been witnessing unusual seismic activity all over the world, and it has become very clear that our planet is becoming increasingly unstable.
But a small, bubbling pool of mud that stinks of rotting eggs near the Salton Sea is causing concern.
Dubbed 'the slow one', experts studying the phenomenon say it is similar to a 'moving sinkhole' - and is speeding up, destroying everything in its path.
Imperial County officials studying the muddy spring say it has has been increasing in speed through - first 60 feet over a few months, and then 60 feet in a single day.
Natural disasters are going to continue to grow worse and worse, and that is going to have extremely serious implications for all of us.
About the Author
Michael Snyder is a nationally syndicated writer, media personality and political activist. He is publisher of The Most Important News and the author of four books including The Beginning Of The End and Living A Life That Really Matters.
Reader Comments
I’ve lived on the Southern California coast for 52 years, and for 52 years I’ve been told that The Big One is long overdue. The only thing that has proven reliable is that October-November is earthquake season, and The Big One Is Coming” warnings that go with them are as predictable as the tides. When TBO happens it happens. Buildings will fall, people will die. Anybody taken by surprise has been living in another reality. The rest of us have had this drilled into our heads since we were old enough to scurry under a school desk on command.
What has also been shown to be quite reliable is every time the sun enters a dormant phase there is significant volcanism and earthquakes accompanying cool periods lasting 400 years, and these periods have been increasing in frequency since 2000BC, as well as getting colder. We're entering another one.