Many watched the disaster movie "10.5 points". But not many people know that what is described in it can actually happen at any moment. The city of Taft, central California, is one of the many cities that is in the zone of constant earthquakes.

At first glance, the streets of Taft are no different from the streets of any other city in North America. Houses and gardens along wide avenues, car parks, street lights every few steps. However, a closer look reveals that the line of the same lamps is not quite straight, and the street seems to be twisted, as if it was taken by the ends and pulled in different directions. The reason for these oddities is that Taft, like many Californian large urban centers, is built along the San Andreas Fault - cracks in the earth's crust, 1050 km of which run through the United States.

Twelve tectonic plates, on which the continents and oceans of the Earth are located, are interconnected by a line passing from San Francisco to the Gulf of California, which goes sixteen kilometers deep into the planet.

Typically a hundred kilometers thick, these plates are in constant motion, moving across the surface of the liquid inner mantle and colliding with each other with monstrous force when their location changes. If they crawl one on top of the other, great mountain ranges rise into the sky, such as the Alps and the Himalayas. However, the circumstances that gave rise to the San Andreas fault are completely different.

Here, the edges of the North American (on which most of this continent rests) and Pacific (supporting most of the California coast) tectonic plates are like ill-fitting gear teeth that do not fit one over the other, but do not fit neatly into the grooves intended for them. The plates rub against each other, and the friction energy formed along their boundaries does not find an outlet. It depends on which part of the fault such energy accumulates, where the next earthquake will occur and what strength will be.

In the so-called "floating zones", where the movement of the plates is relatively free, the accumulated energy is released in thousands of small shocks, which do almost no damage and are recorded only by the most sensitive seismographs. Other sections of the fault - they are called "castle zones" - seem to be completely immovable, where the plates are pressed against one another so tightly that there has been no movement for hundreds of years. The tension gradually builds up until finally both plates move, releasing all the accumulated energy in a powerful jerk. Then earthquakes occur with a magnitude of at least 7 on the Richter scale, similar to the devastating San Francisco earthquake of 1906.

The most powerful earthquake in the United States over the past century occurred on April 18, 1906. Then the strength of the shocks on the Richter scale was 8.3 points. The disaster then claimed 3,000 lives, and the city of San Francisco was engulfed in severe fires.

Between the two described above lie intermediate zones, whose activity, although not as destructive as in the castle, is nevertheless significant. The phenomenon of earthquake cyclicity is unique for this region. The city of Parkfield, located between San Francisco and Los Angeles, is in such an intermediate zone. Earthquakes with magnitude up to 6 on the Richter scale can be expected here every 20-30 years; the last one happened in Parkfield in 1966.

From 200 AD e. 12 major earthquakes occurred in California, but it was the 1906 disaster that attracted the attention of the whole world to the San Andreas Fault. This earthquake, with its epicenter in San Francisco, caused destruction in a colossal area stretching from north to south for 640 km. Along the fault line, in a matter of minutes, the soil shifted 6 m - fences and trees were knocked down, roads and communication systems were destroyed, the water supply stopped, and the fires that followed the earthquake raged throughout the city.

As the science of geology has developed, more advanced measuring instruments have appeared that can constantly monitor the movements and pressure of water masses under the earth's surface. During a number of years before a major earthquake, seismic activity increases slightly, so it is quite possible that they can be predicted many hours or even days in advance.

Architects and civil engineers take into account the possibility of earthquakes and design buildings and bridges that can withstand a certain force of the earth's surface vibrations. Thanks to these measures, the 1989 San Francisco earthquake destroyed most of the buildings of the old structure, without harming modern skyscrapers.

Then 63 people died - most due to the collapse of a huge section of the two-tier Bay Bridge. According to scientists, in the next 50 years, California faces a serious disaster. It is assumed that an earthquake with a magnitude of 7 on the Richter scale will occur in southern California, in the Los Angeles area. It could cause billions of dollars in damage and cause 17,000 to 20,000 deaths, and another 11.5 million people could die from smoke and fires. And since the energy of friction along the fault line tends to accumulate, each year that brings us closer to an earthquake increases its likely strength.

The earthquake that caused record destruction and the subsequent tsunami that hit Japan early Friday is a stark reminder of the devastating natural disasters that can hit populated cities - especially those in high-risk areas, such as along major fault lines. earth's crust.
Take a look at the five cities that are most at risk from such disasters due to their location.
Tokyo, Japan
Built exactly at the triple intersection of three major tectonic plates - the North American Plate, the Philippine Plate and the Pacific Plate - Tokyo is constantly on the move. The long history and familiarity with earthquakes has pushed the city to create the maximum levels of tectonic protection.

Tokyo is by far the most earthquake-prepared city, which means we're probably underestimating the potential damage nature can cause.
Faced with an 8.9 magnitude earthquake, the strongest earthquake in Japanese history, Tokyo, 370 km from the epicenter, went into an automated stop mode: elevators stopped working, the subway stopped, people had to walk many kilometers on a cold night to get to their houses outside the city, where the greatest destruction occurred.
The 10-meter-high tsunami that followed the earthquake washed away hundreds of bodies on the northeast coast, thousands of people are considered missing.

Istanbul, Turkey
Seismologists have long been watching the so-called "living" faults, one of which is the North Anatolian. It stretches for almost 1000 kilometers - mainly through the territory of modern Turkey - and is located between the Eurasian and Anatolian plates. The shear rate in the area of ​​their contact reaches 13-20 mm/year, but the total displacement of these plates is higher - up to 30 mm/year. The city is a mixture of rich and poor infrastructure, putting a huge proportion of its 13 million inhabitants at risk. In 1999, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit the city of Izmit, just 97 km from Istanbul.
While older buildings such as mosques have persevered, newer buildings from the 20th century, often built from concrete mixed with salty groundwater and disregarding local building codes, have crumbled to dust. About 18,000 people died in the region.
In 1997, seismologists predicted that with a 12% chance, the same earthquake could happen again in the region before 2026. Last year, seismologists in the journal Nature Geoscience published data that the next earthquake was likely to occur in the west of Izmit along the fault - dangerous 19 km south of Istanbul.

Seattle, Washington
When residents of a Pacific Northwest city think of disasters, two scenarios come to mind: a mega-quake and the eruption of Mount Rainier.
In 2001, an earthquake in the Nisqually Indian Territory prompted the city to improve its earthquake preparedness plan, and several new building code improvements were made. Be that as it may, many older buildings, bridges and roads are still not modernized in accordance with the new norms.
The city lies on an active tectonic boundary along the North American Plate, the Pacific Plate, and the Juan de Fuca Plate. The ancient history of both earthquakes and tsunamis is recorded in the ground of the water forests turned to stone, as well as in the oral histories passed down from generation to generation of Pacific Northwest Native Americans.
Faintly looming in the distance, and when the cloud cover is high enough, the impressive view of Mount Rainier reveals that this is a dormant volcano and at any time it can push Mount St. Helena as well.
While seismologists are extremely good at monitoring volcanic shocks and alerting authorities to an impending eruption, Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption last year showed that the extent and duration of the eruption is just someone's guess. Most of the devastation will affect the east of the volcano.
But if an uncharacteristic northwest wind blows, the Seattle airport and the city itself will face more hot ash.

Los Angeles, California
Disasters are not new to the Los Angeles area - and everyone is not talked about on TV.
Over the past 700 years, powerful earthquakes have occurred in the region every 45-144 years. The last strong 7.9 magnitude earthquake occurred 153 years ago. In other words, Los Angeles should be subject to the next major earthquake.
Los Angeles, with a population of about 4 million, could be hit hard by the next major quake. According to some estimates, taking into account the whole of Southern California with a population of about 37 million people, a natural disaster could kill 2,000 to 50,000 people and cause billions of dollars in damage.

San Francisco, California
San Francisco, with a population of over 800,000, is another large city on the West Coast of the United States that could be devastated by a massive earthquake and/or tsunami.
San Francisco is located nearby, although not exactly on the northern part of the San Andreas Fault. There are also several related faults running in parallel across the San Francisco region, raising the possibility of an extremely destructive quake.
There has already been one such catastrophe in the history of the city. On April 18, 1906, San Francisco was hit by an earthquake measuring between 7.7 and 8.3. The disaster caused the death of 3,000 people, caused losses of half a billion dollars and leveled most of the city to the ground.
In 2005, earthquake expert David Schwartz, a San Francisco resident, estimated that there was a 62% chance the region would experience a major earthquake within the next 30 years. While some buildings in the city are built or reinforced to withstand an earthquake, according to Schwartz, many are still at risk. Residents are also advised to keep emergency kits ready at all times.

The comparison of the Middle East problem with such a phenomenon as a tectonic shift, made by the director of the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Maria Zakharova, puzzled and even frightened almost all foreign television channels. In her statement, they saw not only a challenge, but also a threat to NATO and the United States.

Apocalypse as such

For readers who have not seen the San Andreas movie, this article explains in detail what a tectonic shift is and how to apply this concept to the political landscape of today. How much this phenomenon threatens humanity, explains even the great interest that is observed in the world to the possibility of an imminent apocalypse.

Lightly dormant supervolcanoes, World War III followed by a nuclear winter, and, of course, a tectonic shift are considered to be the reasons for its onset. Mankind is so worried about its fate that even a simple comparison with this geological area from the lips of a politician received a huge response in the world media.

About vagabonds

Geologists easily read chronicles of centuries and even millennia. From them we know that the sandy soils of the deserts are stored in huge deposits in the south of England, the remains of ancient giant ferns were found in Antarctica, and in Africa there are clear traces of glaciers that covered it. This suggests that geological epochs also changed the climate. The shift activated volcanic activity, ash blotted out the sun, rising into the upper atmosphere for years to come, and a long winter set in. Ice ages killed most of all life on Earth. For example, only less than fifteen percent of bird species remained after the last glaciation, and it is difficult to imagine that their today's diversity is a pitiful remnant of its former splendor.

There are quite a few very different scientific explanations for the causes of global change. One of them, the most common and most evidence-based, says that the continents do not stand still. A small example clearly shows what a tectonic shift means. If you attach the east of South America to the west of Africa, they will be combined with almost no gaps. This means that they were not always separated by the Atlantic Ocean. There are many such examples. And the fact that America will face terrible tectonic shifts is not a threat from the lips of Maria Zakharova. This is what nature promises. And, since Hollywood has already flooded the cinema with many hundreds of films about the imminent end of the world, where it even goes into action, it means that Americans fully anticipate and understand the impending danger.

tectonic shift

The definition of this phenomenon was given a long time ago and accurately: it is a break in a single solid continental plate located under the earth's crust. What threatens humanity with faults in tectonic plates? The scenario is as follows: one, even a small fault will cover the planet in a chain reaction. The melted glaciers will release the plates from pressure with their huge mass, the earth's crust will rise, ocean water will pour into the depths of the faults. The magma under the crust is hot - about one thousand two hundred degrees Celsius. Steam with basalt dust and gas will be thrown out of the ground with great force and everywhere. Downpours will begin - unprecedented, akin to a flood. Volcanoes will wake up - all to one. After that, indescribable tsunamis will sweep away everything from the face of the planet. Enough time is given for the entire alignment from the beginning of the fault to volcanic eruptions, you can even run away if you find somewhere. After the start of the tsunami, the land will be empty in a matter of hours.

The continents inhabited by us were formed two hundred million years ago, when Pangea, a hypercontinent, broke apart. The fled vagrants "take root" at approximately equal distances from each other, but still they are drawn to each other. Scientists predict that in some fifty million years they will reunite again. In the 70s of the last century, a model of the alleged movement of the continents was created. It turns out that the Pacific platform is moving quite quickly towards the North American tectonic plate. The San Andreas tectonic shift threatens just at the junction of these two plates. There are frequent earthquakes of destructive force, which happened in San Francisco and Los Angeles just a hundred years ago. America is terrified of geological cataclysms, which is why the words of Maria Zakharova were perceived as if Russia was threatening the United States with tectonic shifts. What exactly did the director of the department mean?

To the history of the issue

Of course, this was a warning about a threat, but Russia did not promise "terrible tectonic shifts" (Zakharova's quote). They will happen if the United States insists on replacing the Syrian leader Assad, who is at war with the Islamic State. Then radical Islamists and terrorists, with whom America is already very familiar, will inevitably come to power. The events of Iraq in 2003 and Libya in 2011 (after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi) speak for themselves. The Islamic State will inevitably grow and become much stronger. This is what Russia's Foreign Ministry is constantly signaling about. Then rampant terrorism may well exceed the dangers that tectonic shifts bring with them. Zakharova was told exactly this, and the conclusions that followed were absolutely incorrect.

The Middle East did not gain stability in 2016, negative developments continue there: bloodshed in Syria, lack of stabilization in Libya, riots of the Kurdish autonomy in Iraq, the Yemeni conflict worsened, the Saudi Arabian rebels deal more and more serious blows to the economy and financial situation of the country, for many years leading hostilities, got involved in the Middle East conflicts It is from the Middle East that all tectonic shifts in politics are coming. The situation is in all respects a crisis, and this crisis is rapidly expanding, chaos is growing, waves of refugees have swept over Europe, creating a security threat and huge problems there. The year ended, and he did not bring any decisions. If the last stronghold of the fight against terrorists, "dictator" Bashar al-Assad, lays down his arms, the "tectonic shifts" of 2016 will overwhelm the whole world.

Methods of warfare

Daesh continues to build up its military potential, and, despite the beginning of the liberation of the territories, the Iraqi army, with the United States and the coalition supporting it, did not have an easy walk around the suburbs of Mosul. The threat of terrorism has not only not been eradicated, it is growing, and therefore very special, truly serious efforts are required on a global scale by the forces united in this struggle for the complete victory of this evil. The level of US influence on the Middle East situation has decreased, and it has decreased quite significantly. The current administration is leaving, as if deliberately weakening the potential and capabilities of its own country in this region, it is no longer possible to recognize that the United States is a leading player in the Middle East. And the change of power there is taking place in such an environment that itself is capable of starting tectonic shifts in America (and this is not about geological faults).

But Russia distinguished itself in the Middle East in 2016, significantly expanding the circle of partners, including Egypt, Israel and Bahrain, created progress in cooperation with Qatar, agreed with OPEC to limit the level of oil produced (even managed to get along with Saudi Arabia), normalized relations with Turkey . A new team was formed to resolve the situation in Syria, pushing the United States out of the region. These are Iran, Turkey and Russia. The Russian Aerospace Forces are seriously helping the Syrian army to defeat the terrorists. Aleppo is liberated. All this is regarded by the world as purely Russian political victories. That is why Maria Zakharova spoke so brightly and colorfully about tectonic shifts. The loss of a partner like Bashar al-Assad will reduce these victories to zero. Moreover, until ISIS is completely drained of blood, our diplomats see the current situation as rather unsteady.

Crimea and the Middle East

To take a break from pressing political problems, let's return to the issue of geological faults and continental plates, since more and more information appears every day, and from time to time it looks like a curiosity, despite all the reliability. Scientists from different countries, studying geological stratifications in the depths of the earth's crust, have revealed a shift in tectonic plates, as a result of which tectonic activity is observed both in the Middle East and in neighboring regions.

Full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexander Ipatov announced the latest reliable results of research (including applied astronomy). Sensation: the Crimean peninsula is gradually moving closer to Russia. After all, the plate did not float to Turkey or Greece, the tectonic shift of the Crimea and is geologically directed home. The meeting of the peninsula with the mainland, however, will not happen so soon, several tens of millions of years will have to wait. But the republics met together since 2014.

World politics and tectonic shifts in it

The results of the past year can only be summed up in full measure when the forthcoming policy of the new United States administration, both in the Middle East and in general, in the world, becomes clear. However, the contradictions between the Islamic world and Western countries are unlikely to be eliminated soon, and the growth of xenophobia will most likely continue, which, of course, can poison the entire system of relations in both the Islamic and non-Islamic worlds. Throughout the year, we have observed huge changes in world politics, which were quite akin to tectonic shifts in their significance.

First of all, it is necessary to mention the Brexit, which shook the world thoroughly, when the UK decided to leave the European Union. Then followed the unexpectedly convincing victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential election, which not only was not planned by anyone, but also did not allow the slightest thought of such a turn of events. If we add to this the significantly strengthened right wing in European countries (primarily in France and Germany), then the progress seems to be irreversible, in 2017 they are unlikely to stop developing.

Center of gravity

The value spectrum of the entire Western part of the world has shifted dramatically, as right-wing conservative, populist and nationalist waves have made the palette of moods of society much more diverse, adding completely unexpected new tones. Protest moods appear even where they have never been, in countries for which this is completely uncharacteristic. They write about the beginning in the United States, about the abrupt change of regime in the countries of Western Europe. gradually becomes unpredictable, filled with new events and phenomena that have not yet happened that need to be comprehended.

The center of gravity of the entire world political system is clearly shifting. The Asian countries are gaining strength, and the share of China and India has risen exceptionally high. Therefore, the main intrigues of this tectonic shift in politics will most likely unfold in relations between China and the United States. The economic crisis that has engulfed the world is also hard on the leading countries. The people of the United States are gripped by a general disillusionment with the policies of the ruling party. That is why the Republicans won such a convincing victory over the Democrats, won the majority of seats in the House of Representatives and increased their representation in the Senate.

Policy internal and external

Trump's victory is important not so much for domestic politics as for foreign. Israel is already clearly excited, China is preoccupied, the rest of Asia is upset, and Russia is guessing. A much tougher position towards China is quite possible - the weakening of the yuan to the point of impossibility to hold its own currency. Support for the Afghan war is very possible. Republicans are also concerned about the deployment of the country's missile defense.

Congress received a significant increase in pro-Israel forces: Senator from Illinois - Mark Kirk, leader of the majority of the lower house - Eric Kantor, now Tel Aviv can hope for a special political climate that allows the resumption of negotiations with the Palestinian autonomy. At the same time, the pro-Israeli forces are feeling strong pressure from yet unknown forces (however, everyone can guess which ones): on January 19, 2017, there were reports of mining 28 Jewish centers in 17 US states, which, fortunately, was imaginary. But this is not the first warning. And at some point, mining may not be false.

How will things end

It seems to many that America's stable position in the world has been shaken, and its world domination has practically been lost. Is it so? The President of Russia is also very cautious in his assessments. Indeed, consider 2010, when Wikileaks opened and made public many tens of thousands of documentary letters from the American diplomatic pouch. It seemed - well, everything, the end of the state. But nothing happened to America. Allies, even substituted in every possible way, were not lost. Enemies also remained in place, new ones did not increase. One thing is surprising: it never occurred to anyone to blame Moscow for these revelations, as happened after Donald Trump's election victory.

Yes, Trump is different. He is significantly different from the previous president. But what awaits Russia in connection with this choice, who knows? If you look from Moscow or some Skovorodin, the Republicans are seen as people more pragmatic and less dangerous for us than the defeated Democrats, who constantly did little and big dirty tricks to the Russians. How different is Trump's team from Hillary Clinton's team? After a thoughtful analysis, it becomes clear that the actions of both parties are unfolding on the same lithospheric platform. They are much more similar than seen from afar. Both the team and the other intimidate the people with an external threat and paint a picture of various foreign intrigues. Freedom and democracy are honored by some, prestige and economy by others, but both are threatened by external forces, in any case, the nation is in danger. Hillary disliked global populism and Russia, and Trump dislikes multinational corporations, Mexico, China, and developing countries. A tectonic shift in politics is inevitable. Perhaps that is why our diplomats are so cautious in their assessments and forecasts.

To date, there are two most likely hypotheses of a tectonic fault that will lead to the end of our civilization. And the fact that the earth masses are moving, and the Earth is constantly changing - not a single reasonable person will deny. Although tectonic activity has been very low lately, it is likely that this will change soon.

Iceland.

Giant rifts are breaks in the earth's crust that form at the border of slowly diverging tectonic plates - the North American and Eurasian. The plates are moving apart at a rate of about 7 mm per year, so that over the past 10 thousand years the valley has expanded by 70 meters and settled by 40.

Indicative of the San Andreas fault, which is in motion. It is considered one of the most dangerous in the world. Seismologists have noticed that there are ups and downs I.

What movements are characteristic of the San Andreas Fault?

While these movements are small enough to not be noticed by most people living along the fault, the researchers note that they are consistent and constant. Every 200 kilometers of the fault shift by 2 mm per year. The movements are up or down. These changes were detected using GPS measurements.

These movements were undoubtedly caused by the chaotic, spasmodic movements of the Pacific and North American tectonic plates. Small surges of accumulated stress cause the ground around the fault to rise and fall. Therefore, the Los Angeles Basin is sinking while part of the San Bernardino is rising, and this is happening at the same rate.

Pressure release E

These minor shifts pose no immediate danger to the population. But they do demonstrate how dynamic and active the fault has become. While the movement allows the release of pressure in San Andreas, it is not enough to reduce the next blow.

Massive sections of the fault have moved little over the last 150 years, while other sections have been building up pressure for more than three centuries.

After an earthquake occurs, all this energy is released. Understanding how the fault behaves each time it sinks and rises, releasing pressure, helps geologists assess what impact the next earthquake that could hit the area would have on the surrounding region.

To date, there are two most likely hypotheses of a tectonic fault that will lead to the end of our civilization. And the fact that the earth masses are moving, and the Earth is constantly changing - not a single reasonable person will deny. Although tectonic activity has been very low lately, it is likely that this will change soon.

Iceland. Giant rifts are breaks in the earth's crust that form at the border of slowly diverging tectonic plates - the North American and Eurasian. The plates are moving apart at a rate of about 7 mm per year, so that over the past 10 thousand years the valley has expanded by 70 meters and settled by 40.

Tectonic fault under the glaciers. This hypothesis belongs to Academician N. Zharvin. According to his assumptions, the cause of the tectonic fault will be the melting of ice under Antarctica. The relationship between the transformation of a chain of tectonic faults into a huge volcano and the melting of ice is explained by the fact that the earth's crust constantly sags under the weight of any massif. Accordingly, under the weight of the huge Greenland glacier, the deflection reaches significant values, about 1 kilometer. It is logical to assume that with the melting of ice, this value begins to decrease. At some point, this trend will lead to a significant increase in the fracture of the earth's crust.

The rupture of tectonic plates in a chain reaction will cover the entire planet. But this is not the worst. When the huge mass of ice stops pressing on the earth's crust, it will rise. Then masses of ocean water will rush underground. Since the matter underground is heated to about 1200 degrees Celsius, this will cause huge amounts of basalt dust and gas to be released into the Earth's atmosphere. This, in turn, will cause an unprecedented downpour. The horror of the all-sinking rain will be supplemented by the consequences of tectonic faults, namely volcanic eruptions throughout the rift system and huge tsunamis. In a matter of time, just everything will be washed off the face of the Earth.

Lithospheric catastrophe of our civilization. This version is offered by the Russian inventor E. Ubiyko. His hypothesis not only suggests the future, but also explains much of the past. He amazingly analyzes all the information about our past, finds the relationship between the cultural heritage of all ancient civilizations, and with this explains all the changes that have already occurred and will continue to occur with the Earth.

Referring to the Mayan calendar, Yevgeny Ubiyko suggests that in the twilight of the last day of the era of the third Sun, the Earth looked completely different. Its radius was about 2.5 times less than the current one, and all the continents were connected together. The map did not include the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic and Indian oceans. There was one world ocean and one continent with many seas, lakes and rivers. If you look closely at the globe, you will notice that it resembles a scan of a small ball stretched over a ball of larger diameter.

This structure of the Earth provides answers to many questions about the ancient civilizations of Lemuria and Atlantis, and also explains the gigantic size of the dinosaurs. The fact is that the atmosphere of the Earth was denser, and the climate is much more comfortable. It was possible to breathe freely at an altitude of up to 25 km. The air temperature on the entire planet did not fall below 8 degrees Celsius. Naturally, in such conditions, people of very tall stature - Atlantes - could freely exist. In addition, if you glue all the continents together, then the location of the ancient temples and pyramids becomes more logical and explainable. So the Sphinx looked at the polar star, and the great white pyramid Kailash was strictly on the then North Pole of the Earth. Delving into research in more detail, you can find clues to the Veliks of the Chinese wall, Babylon, Rigveda and other legacies.

Of particular danger is the location of many cities in zones of potentially high planetary destruction and the failure to take into account the influence of geophysical anomalies during construction.

Among these cities is Moscow, located in the place:

- cross-shaped intersection of two powerful deep faults:

Indicative of the San Andreas fault, which is in motion. It is considered one of the most dangerous in the world. Seismologists have noticed that there are ups and downs.

What movements are characteristic of the San Andreas Fault? While these movements are small enough to not be noticed by most people living along the fault, the researchers note that they are consistent and constant. Every 200 kilometers of the fault shift by 2 mm per year. The movements are up or down. These changes were detected using GPS measurements.

These movements were undoubtedly caused by the chaotic, spasmodic movements of the Pacific and North American tectonic plates. Small surges of accumulated stress cause the ground around the fault to rise and fall. Therefore, the Los Angeles Basin is sinking while part of the San Bernardino is rising, and this is happening at the same rate.

Pressure release

These minor shifts pose no immediate danger to the population. But they do demonstrate how dynamic and active the fault has become. While the movement allows the release of pressure in San Andreas, it is not enough to reduce the next blow. Massive sections of the fault have moved little over the last 150 years, while other sections have been building up pressure for more than three centuries. After an earthquake occurs, all this energy is released. Understanding how the fault behaves each time it sinks and rises, releasing pressure, helps geologists assess what impact the next earthquake that could hit the area would have on the surrounding region.

Possibility of an earthquake

But, unfortunately, it is impossible to say for sure when the next time this will happen. One of the most powerful earthquakes in the 20th century occurred in 1906. Its strength reached 7.8, which killed 3 thousand people in San Francisco, when the northern part of the fault began to slide. However, now all attention is drawn to the southern section. The last time an earthquake occurred there in 1857, when a 360-kilometer stretch was destroyed by a magnitude of 7.9 points. Since then, huge pressure has accumulated along the southern section.

The general rule is that the more time passes between earthquakes, the more powerful and destructive the damage will be. While no one wants an earthquake along the San Andreas Fault, every year that goes by without one increases the likelihood of a bleak future for Southern California.