A recent study suggests that remote sections along California’s extensive San Andreas Fault, known for frequent large earthquakes, may be poised for another seismic event soon.
The area near Parkfield in Monterey County usually experiences a magnitude 6 or greater earthquake approximately every 22 years, but its last one occurred in 2004, 14 years overdue.
Researchers, led by Luca Malagnini from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Italy, have detected distinctive seismic activity indicating a potential strong earthquake, possibly occurring this year.
The San Andreas Fault, spanning 800 miles across California, delineates the boundary between the Pacific and North American tectonic plates.
Parkfield lies at a crucial segment where the fault exhibits straightforward behavior. South of Parkfield, the fault is locked, with no movement between plates, while to the north, the plates move steadily by 1.4 inches per year.
Although earthquakes in this area typically exceed magnitude 6, they pose minimal threat due to the region’s remoteness.
The study suggests Parkfield may be entering the final phase of its seismic hiatus, although pinpointing the exact date of the next earthquake remains elusive.
By analyzing seismic data before the 2004 earthquake, scientists observed similar patterns, indicating a comparable process underway now. However, the epicenter of the next earthquake could differ.
In unrelated seismic activity, the New York City metro area experienced a 4.8 magnitude earthquake, its most significant tremor since 1884.