The Threat of “The Big One” Looms Over California: Are Residents Prepared?

New Research Suggests The Big One Earthquake in California Could Happen Sooner Than Expected

Residents of Ridgecrest, California, are still reeling from the aftermath of the twin earthquakes that struck the area in July 2019. The recent discovery of 20 previously unknown small earthquake faults in the region has raised concerns among disaster-preparedness experts about the potential for a larger quake, known as “The Big One,” to hit Southern California sooner than previously thought.

A study published by geophysicists at Caltech and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory last October highlighted the impact of the Ridgecrest quakes on the nearby Garlock Fault. The study’s lead author, Zachary Ross, warned that the interconnected network of faults in the region could lead to more significant seismic events than previously anticipated.

Experts now believe that the Garlock Fault, which was significantly strained by the Ridgecrest quakes, is 100 times more likely to cause a major earthquake than before. This heightened risk has implications for the San Andreas Fault, with a 50-50 chance that a Garlock quake could trigger a quake in the Mojave segment of the southern San Andreas Fault.

The potential for a massive earthquake along the San Andreas Fault, which runs through heavily populated areas like Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, has raised concerns about the lack of earthquake insurance coverage among Californians. Despite the increased awareness of earthquake risks, only about 14% of residential insurance policies in California include earthquake coverage.

The California Earthquake Authority (CEA), the state’s largest provider of residential earthquake insurance, has seen a rise in policy purchases since 2016. However, CEO Glenn Pomeroy emphasizes that there is still a significant gap in earthquake insurance penetration in the state, leaving many homeowners vulnerable to financial losses in the event of a major quake.

In addition to purchasing earthquake insurance, experts recommend participating in earthquake drills, securing household belongings, and retrofitting homes to withstand seismic activity. Despite these recommendations, many Californians may not be adequately prepared for a major earthquake, underscoring the need for increased awareness and proactive measures to mitigate the impact of future seismic events.