Big Earthquake overdue in Southern California

[Tanglewood]

In California we have strike-slip faults (where two plates are sliding by each other) rather than subduction faults (where one plate is diving below another one as they have off the coast of Indonesia).

We do have other types like Blind Thrust Fault that caused the Northridge Earthquake. The scary thing about that fault was that no one even knew about it until it actually caused an earthquake.

Heres a website that shows all the earthquakes for California and Nevada for the past week.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Heres a website that shows all the earthquakes for California and Nevada for the past week.

Thanks for the link. Didn't know about Nevada being prone to earthquakes too. Was impressed by the 4.4 78 miles NE of Las Vegas.

Back to the New Madrid Fault. Found the attached image, with this text:

Although earthquakes in the central and eastern United States are less frequent than in the western United States, they affect much larger areas. This is shown by two areas affected by earthquakes of similar magnitude-the 1895 Charleston, Missouri, earthquake in the New Madrid seismic zone and the 1994 Northridge, California, earthquake. Red indicates minor to major damage to buildings and their contents. Yellow indicates shaking felt, but little or no damage to objects, such as dishes.

From this website: http://www.greatdreams.com/madrid.htm and this one, http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/prepare/factsheets/NewMadrid/

Came across these pages in trying to find out what type of fault, it is an intraplate fault. Not sure if this goes by another name.

 

[Music_Producer]

Great.. I live like 10 minutes from the San Andreas fault.

 

[asxtb]

Don't know if this is true or not, but regarding building damage, I heard that the cemet in large building that is made with salt-water is much more easily damaged than cement made with fresh-water. Supposedly that is why the Kobe quake was so bad. And also supposedly, Tokyo buildings are also at risk. Anyone know if this is true or not?

 

[paleck]

Where I live in Utah they have been saying we are way way way overdue for an earthquake for the last 20 or 30 years. I just figure if it happens it happens, not much I can do in the meantime.

 

[Tanglewood]

Chip NoVaMac quick question - Is the damage area for the New Madrid adjusted for advances in building code since 1895 to 1994? Though I guess it doesn't matter buildings aren't built back there with earthquakes in mind. Tornados maybe, but not earthquakes.

I just figure if it happens it happens, not much I can do in the meantime.

Sure there is. Get yourself a cold drink and enjoy your summer.

 

[paleck]

Sure there is. Get yourself a cold drink and enjoy your summer.

Good point...though I'll be seriously pissed off if an earthquake happens right after I finish closing and moving into my new condo.

 

[XNine]

Discovery or History had something on about a week ago about the New Madrid Fault and quakes that happened in the 1800's. They said that they lasted for months, off and on.

It created fishures in the earth, caused the mississippi river to flow backwards (upstream) and adjusted the land. Pretty scary to think that that could happen. Getting hit for days on end, for months on end with 8.0 and greater earthquakes.

 

[altair]

Here's a video of a earthquake, for all of you who haven't experienced one.

here

 

[Chundles]

Thanks for the insights guys!

As I said, we don't really experience them here so it's interesting to hear what they're like.

Speak for yourself, growing up in the southern highlands of NSW I got woken up heaps of times to the unmistakable feeling of the earth shaking beneath me. Mind you, they were only little 3.0 - 3.5 earthquakes, the one that tried it's best to flatten Newcastle a while back was a 6 so I can't really imagine anything stronger then that, it would definitely give me a bit of a scare.

 

[solvs]

Good point...though I'll be seriously pissed off if an earthquake happens right after I finish closing and moving into my new condo.

Get yourself some eathquake insurance. Mine is only an extra ~$10 a year, but I rent.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Chip NoVaMac quick question - Is the damage area for the New Madrid adjusted for advances in building code since 1895 to 1994? Though I guess it doesn't matter buildings aren't built back there with earthquakes in mind. Tornados maybe, but not earthquakes.

No the image I posted indicates by the red zone, areas with structural damage back in 1812.

I want to say that St. Louis is somewhat prepared for the worst. Back in the late 80's, early 90's there was a scientist that predicted a date for the New Madrid Fault to blow again. Many companies had their buildings checked out for earthquake preparedness. IIRC the Arch was given a clean bill of health to 6.0. People slept out in parks for like two weeks.

 

[patrick0brien]

-Chip NoVaMac

I remember working a FedEx about 6 years ago in Memphis and all of those buildings were of the 'suspended' types for earthquake resistance. Every time someone walked by, the floor would bounce.

 

[uaaerospace]

Discovery or History had something on about a week ago about the New Madrid Fault and quakes that happened in the 1800's. They said that they lasted for months, off and on.

It created fishures in the earth, caused the mississippi river to flow backwards (upstream) and adjusted the land. Pretty scary to think that that could happen. Getting hit for days on end, for months on end with 8.0 and greater earthquakes.

It was actually a series of three major earthquakes. Anyone ever heard of Reelfoot lake in northwest Tennessee?

More information on Reelfoot Lake and the New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811-1812

 

[uaaerospace]

Is the damage area for the New Madrid adjusted for advances in building code since 1895 to 1994?

Keep in mind that the larger impact area of a New Madrid quake is due to the soil type and solidness of the plate in the eastern US. The west coast diminishes more energy because of its faults, resulting in a smaller impact area for a similar magnitude quake. The eastern US lacks these dissipative faults.

Also, for those that think CA is going to sink into the ocean.... It's not going to happen due to an earthquake. A portion of CA is located on the Pacific plate (the rest on the North American plate) and moving northward towards Alaska. It will eventually move up and away, however you and I will be looooong gone by the time that happens.

 

[hofnar]

When i first came to Japan I was like "OMG! EARTHQUAKE!" and I stood in the doorway. Now if one happens now I just stay where I am, like in bed.

I was practicing on the water one day and we had one and it was neat to see buildings sway. But still a bit scary.

 

[IJ Reilly]

When i first came to Japan I was like "OMG! EARTHQUAKE!" and I stood in the doorway. Now if one happens now I just stay where I am, like in bed.

I was practicing on the water one day and we had one and it was neat to see buildings sway. But still a bit scary.

Spoken like someone who's never experienced a killer earthquake. After one of those, you'll be running for cover the next time you feel a rumble, and you'll be keeping shoes next to your bed. You will, or you won't be a very smart person.

 

[Tanglewood]

Did anyone else have problems with the disaster drills they run in K-12? My big problem was when you did duck and cover was as I was getting bigger (I'm 6' 2") the desks were getting smaller. So by the time I was a senior there was no point since my notecard size desk wouldn't protect me from the building coming down around me.

 

[Kingsly]

LINK

Wow. Between this and North korean taepodong missiles... Im thinking about cashing in my return tickets and staying put here in kansas.

 

[mrichmon]

the one that tried it's best to flatten Newcastle a while back was a 6 so I can't really imagine anything stronger then that, it would definitely give me a bit of a scare.

I was walking through a doorway when the shock wave from the Newcastle 'quake rolled through Sydney and noticed the corner of the ceiling at the opposite side of the room move followed by the rest of the room. Kinda freaky.

Now that I'm living in San Francisco the latest 'quakes are reported as part of the weather forecast with a number of small 2-3 'quakes each week. Sitting through the Parkfield 6.0 'quake in 2004 I only noticed the 'quake because the cat freaked out.

I was roughly the same distance from the Parkfield 'quake as I was from the Newcastle 'quake. The main difference is that California buildings are designed to accomodate earthquakes.

 

[killr_b]

Agreed. LA is what screws it up and gives a bad rep to all of California... How often have I heard people make a bad statement about California as a whole and I had to tell them that this was an LA issue, not a California issue, and that us that are NOT from LA don't particularily care for the city either....

L.A. would be a lot better if the federal government didn't steal billions of dollars from us over the last couple decades for things like, rebuilding NY, rebuilding FL, and LA, MS and TX from Katrina. We're sick of the whining from all the other states after every natural disaster. Durring Northridge when contractors and insurance companies screwed just about everyone we didn't get one tenth of the assistance like "victims" of Katrina. L.A. supports the rest of the country. We passed a messure to keep local monies local and the federal gov. still jacked us for, oh the ever-so poor people in the gulf.

When there's a huge earthquake in L.A. I expect we'll have to riot to get anything, actually, to keep what is ours already. I don't expect anything from Bush and the babysitting squad that follows him around. We're a blue state through and through and they know it.

Hillbillies and rednecks get new houses and the school I went to as a child still doesn't have air conditioning.

 

[WildCowboy]

L.A. would be a lot better if the federal government didn't steal billions of dollars from us over the last couple decades for things like, rebuilding NY, rebuilding FL, and LA, MS and TX from Katrina. We're sick of the whining from all the other states after every natural disaster. Durring Northridge when contractors and insurance companies screwed just about everyone we didn't get one tenth of the assistance like "victims" of Katrina. L.A. supports the rest of the country. We passed a messure to keep local monies local and the federal gov. still jacked us for, oh the ever-so poor people in the gulf.

Of course, Northern CA pitched in to help you guys rebuild after Northridge, but your lawmakers certainly balked at helping to pay for our Bay Bridge project...

 

[killr_b]

Ya, sorry about that. We don't have any money yo. But I do like visiting up north and spending $ in local shops, does that count?

 

[WildCowboy]

But I do like visiting up north and spending $ in local shops, does that count?

As long as you bring all the other SoCal folks along with you, we'll call it even.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Keep in mind that the larger impact area of a New Madrid quake is due to the soil type and solidness of the plate in the eastern US. The west coast diminishes more energy because of its faults, resulting in a smaller impact area for a similar magnitude quake. The eastern US lacks these dissipative faults.

Also from what I understand is the difference between soil composition between the West and East coasts. The "softer" soil here in the East transmits the energy much more efficiently than it would on the West coast.

I am surprised that nothing has been mentioned about the Cheesequake, NY fault that is close to NYC. IIRC a 5.0 there could level most of lower Manhattan.