California's San Andreas Fault Ready To Explode, Warning By Seismologist

The San Andreas Fault in California has been violently building up tectonic tension for a really long time as per reports. Now experts are predicting that the fault is quite close to erupting as an enormous earthquake.

According to the director of the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC), Thomas Jordan, the southern portion of San Andreas Fault is locked, loaded and ready to roll. "The pressure has been building on that part of the fault without being relieved for more than a hundred years," Thomas Jordan said. The springs on the San Andreas system have been wound very, very tight".

The San Andreas Fault runs across the whole length of California and measures around 1,290 kilometers. At the moment, scientists are more worried about the part that is close to Los Angeles. The last massive earthquake that shook the fault's southern part took place in 1857, and was 7.9 in magnitude. The seismic event ruptured 298 kilometers between San Gabriel Mountains near Los Angeles and Monterey County. Since then, the area has been quiet and it is this very fact that is worrying scientists. According to a report on CBS News, fractures like the San Andreas Fault need to release tension from time to time so that there is no gradual build up leading to one shattering earthquake.

A US Geological Survey report released in 2008 warned that a tremor measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale could result in the death of more than 1,800 people and injure a population of 50,000. A quake of such a high magnitude would cause the ground to shake for two whole minutes.

According to seismologists, for now California should take a step towards becoming resilient on the possibility of a massive earthquake, which could measure up to 8 on the Richter scale. Experts have meanwhile praised LA's plan to necessitate earthquake retrofits on concrete buildings and apartments.