The Next Earthquake Here Could Sink Western California

So, since 2000, the world has been hit with more than 1,700 earthquakes with magnitude

greater than 5.

Many happened around the ring of fire, located around the Pacific Ocean.

In North America, the biggest threat is the San Andreas Faudlone, which can create an

earthquake of a magnitude higher than any other, earning it the spine tingling nickname, the

Big One.

The potential destruction of California is a terrifying prospect that could have unimaginable

consequences, but the Big One is just the beginning of what's to come.

Bad news, scientists have predicted an Earth-shattering event that will occur in 2030.

Like it or not, there's a 70% chance that will experience the Big One, and it will be

an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7.

The San Andreas Faudlone will cause the Big One, but what is scary is that we can't predict

it.

On the other hand, a massive earthquake occurs every 100 years.

This means there's always time to prepare for a natural disaster.

If we traveled back in time, we'd see a few significant earthquakes like the ones that

wiped out San Francisco and fought to home.

Buildings made a long time ago are not quake proof, they will collapse.

Even if they survive, you should not enter them.

But, buildings are not the most dangerous part.

You should watch out for electrical lines and gas pipes.

Your hillhouse might be lovely, but it is extremely unsafe.

During quakes, the hill can turn into a massive landslide that will destroy everything in

its path.

Say goodbye to road trips because all the roads will be ruined.

You should have some spare water and food since you won't be able to go to the supermarket.

This disaster won't be cheap.

It will cost the US around $200 billion to recover from the quake.

At least, the earthquake will not trigger tsunamis, but there's something it can cause

more damage than the big one.

The notorious Cascadia subduction zones, starting California, and ends up all the way in Vancouver

Canada.

The San Andreas fault line is nothing compared to this zone.

It can wipe the whole coast off the face of the Earth, an example of hyperbole.

Subduction zones are tectonic plates forced to be one under the other and constantly pulling

apart.

Zones like these are not to be messed with since they are terrifying hot spots for earthquake

activity and extremely dangerous because they cause massive underwater quakes.

But they are underwater, so what can they do to us?

Well, they can cause giant tsunamis, flooding cities, and destroying the coastline.

Right now, the most active zone is the Ring of Fire.

The Cascadia zone might be less active, but it is like a sleeping beast that can wake

up and destroy everything in his path, causing a ground-breaking earthquake.

The last time all this stress was released was in the year 1700.

Unlike the San Andreas quake, this one will cause massive tsunamis and much bigger shocks.

Let's hope you'll be camping in an open field at that time, because most buildings and

bridges will likely be destroyed.

Also, be ready for the aftershocks, as they'll be devastating.

Nature won't be spared either.

Landslides will change animals' habitats, even our homes will be changed forever.

Luckily, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and scientists are doing everything

they can to ensure our safety.

New rules are implemented.

Every new building must be able to withstand massive shocks.

They're developing modern warning systems, and every new infrastructure must follow strict

quick-proof guidelines.

The one to Fuca and the North American plates are locked together, but they won't stay

like that forever.

When they unlock, get ready for a massive shake.

The closer you are to the epicenter, the more damage you'll experience.

But even if you are lucky to be far away, you may still feel the ground shaking for some time.

Now, if we compare the Cascadia subduction zone and the San Andreas fault,

we'll see how much more dangerous the Cascadia zone is.

In 1994, there was an enormous 6.7 magnitude earthquake in the North Ridge area,

close to the San Andreas fault.

Sadly, many people didn't make it, and some were injured.

Back then, buildings were not strong and earthquake-proof, and many of them were damaged.

The Cascadia subduction zone can potentially cause a magnitude 9 earthquake.

A magnitude 6 earthquake has the power of around 44 million pounds of dynamite,

but a magnitude 9 has the power of 44 trillion pounds of dynamite.

The strongest ever recorded quake was in Chile.

Its magnitude measured 9.5, and it destroyed most everything.

So, let's say you've survived the quake, but the struggle is far from over.

Soon after, a massive tsunami will strike with waves that might reach up to 100 feet in some areas,

that someone like the San Andreas earthquake, which can't produce any significant waves.

So, say goodbye to your beautiful garden, since saltwater will destroy trees and plants,

changing the environment for a period of time.

The only positive thing will be you won't need Halloween decorations,

because all those dried out trees will resemble a ghost forest.

The combination of waves, quakes, and the sheer size of the area will make this natural disaster

much more dangerous than any caused by the San Andreas fault, or the so-called big one.

A quake similar to this happened around 300 years ago.

Many more have been recorded in the past 3,500 years,

proving that they continually occur every four to six hundred years.

So, technically, we have around a hundred to three hundred years before the next big one hits.

We still have no idea how exactly the Cascadia Subduction Zone works,

because we discovered it in 1970.

This zone is super scary because it can cause bigger earthquakes.

It was found by accident when researchers studied the Ring of Fire.

They wanted to know if this area had caused any trouble in the past years,

and the proof was under their noses.

In Washington, there is a horror for us where nothing has been growing for years.

When researchers tested the soil, they found a tremendous amount of salt.

They put two and two together and concluded that a massive tsunami had been the reason.

Experts still didn't know when the forest was destroyed,

but Japan kept records of a gigantic earthquake that had a similar effect.

It was the one that happened in the year 1700.

There is a one in three chance that the next one will occur in 2050.

You must know how to survive the Canadian earthquakes and make it out unscathed,

so listen carefully.

Those who live in this area have almost no experience with earthquakes like this one.

Surviving the quake is relatively easy, but the tsunami coming afterward is the real danger.

After the shake, find the highest ground and go there.

Only bring the essentials like food and water.

Yeah, leave your baseball car collection at home.

After the first hit, don't try to go down.

seismologists say that most likely, there will be a few more waves and they have proven this.

On the 22nd of May, 1960, seismologists Jerry Eston and his four friends went to Hawaii

to see an expected tsunami that was to happen around midnight.

They set up their gear on Wailuku Bridge with an escape route planned.

This bridge had been destroyed in the previous tsunami,

but the new one was much taller and better.

After midnight, the water was four feet above the average level.

The second wave hit a half hour after midnight,

and the water rose another nine feet by 1 a.m.

The water started going down and dropped by seven feet,

but the horror was far from over.

Next, they saw a wave that was around 20 feet tall.

This shows us that tsunamis are unpredictable,

and we should listen to experts to stay safe.

That's it for today.

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