Southern California could be inching closer to the kind of major earthquake scientists have long expected, according to new research showing stress continues to build along two of the state’s most dangerous fault systems.
Last week’s magnitude 5.6 earthquake in Mendocino County served as a reminder of California’s seismic risk. Nearly 657,000 early-warning alerts were sent through the MyShake app. The quake knocked out power to about 8,000 Pacific Gas & Electric customers, injured several people and caused thousands of dollars in damage to local businesses as merchandise was shaken from store shelves.
Now, imagine an earthquake more than 125 times stronger. Scientists say such a quake could threaten nearly 24 million people, along with some of Southern California’s most densely populated communities and critical infrastructure, including greater Los Angeles and the Inland Empire, according to a study published June 3 examining stress accumulation along the southern San Andreas and San Jacinto faults…