L.A. Quake Could Be Strong, Long
`A powerful earthquake on the southern San Andreas fault, which hasn’t ruptured in over three centuries, is capable of producing prolonged periods of strong shaking in the greater Los Angeles region, a new study finds.
The study offers one of the most detailed analyses yet of what would happen if a magnitude-7.7 temblor strikes along a 125-mile stretch of the fault between San Bernardino and Imperial counties.
The southern San Andreas last snapped in 1690, unleashing a strong quake that caused relatively little damage because few people lived in the area. But as Los Angeles and neighboring cities have become populated and built up over the decades, scientists now say a Big One could be devastating.’
