The Hayward Fault: America's Most Dangerous?

20.03.08 - 22:43 ... source : U.S. Geological Survey

... Released: 3/20/2008 1:00:00 PM Contact Information: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey Office of Communication 119 National Center Reston, VA 20192 Paul Laustsen, USGS Phone: 650-454-7264 Shannon McKay, RMS Phone: 510-505-3257 An earthquake of M6.8 or greater on the Hayward Fault, in the heart of the San Francisco Bay area, is increasingly likely. The last major earthquake on the Hayward Fault was in 1868, 140 years ago: research by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and others indicate the past five such earthquakes have been 140 years apart on average. According to newly updated information from members of the 1868 Hayward Earthquake Alliance, a major earthquake on the Hayward fault would impact more than 5 million people and property and contents valued in excess of $1.5 trillion in the six counties surrounding the fault. If the 1868 earthquake were to reoccur today, Risk Management Solutions (RMS) estim ...» Next (HTML)