what will happen when the "Big One" hits California? (Los Angeles: earthquake, live)

[bradleyyo]

We know it won't slip into the ocean but what are your estimates? Scientists have said that it could very well go 350 miles through Southern California on the San Andreas fault

[Gentoo]

They'll be a lot of shaking and stuff

[VolunteerTN]

I seriously doubt CA either fall into the ocean or break up into little islands like some conspiracy theories believed.

I think it will be similiar to the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 but much worse though.

[clongirl]

Most damage from earthquakes comes from broken gas lines and fire. I've already lived through "a big one" in '89 during the Loma Prieta in San Francisco and despite bricks falling off the sides of old buildings and collapsed structures and power outages, it wasn't as horrific as it certainly could have been. Most of San Francisco/Bay Area buildings are built for withstanding such shaking and movement. The areas that are build on landfill are the most in danger of becoming damaged.

[.highnlite]

The Tejon Quake 1857 ripped the San Andreas Fault open for 350 miles, 175 north, 175 south.

The north section of the San Andreas has released in several section, interesting that 6 of the 10 most powerful quakes in CA in recorded history have happened in the last 30 some years.

The southern section, south of Frazier Mountain is locked, when it releases (any day now, geologic time) it will go big, but, it has a mountain range between it and most of LA,, sorry about San Berdoo and the Coachella Valley...

[bradleyyo]

San Andreas Fault | Earthquake experts see the 'Big One' getting bigger - Los Angeles Times

San Andreas fault capable of magnitude 8.1 earthquake over 340-mile swath of California, researchers say [Updated] | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times

[Everest209]

Originally Posted by bradleyyo

We know it won't slip into the ocean but what are your estimates? Scientists have said that it could very well go 350 miles through Southern California on the San Andreas fault

Slow day?

[Chelito23]

There are a lot of possibilities. Worst case scenarios show a major 8.1 quake starting in the Salton Sea and working it's way north and sending strong and prolonged shaking into LA. That would cause major damage...think Northridge, but over the entire basin.

Other scenarios are for a quake starting in the Sn. Bernardino mountains and rupturing south. This scenario would leave people in LA saying "it wasn't that bad" and it was "all hype," but it would devastate the Coachella Valley and severe highways, water lines and electric lines comming in and out of LA where they cross the fault.

[Twinkle Toes]

Who cares! If it happens, it happens - not a damn thing you can do about it.

[killer2021]

Here is a clip if you are wondering. Hope you have some firepower to help defend your property:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bEG2AMaM7w