Scientist makes dire earthquake prediction

Scientist makes dire earthquake prediction

www.latimes.com

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. -- Sandwiched between the powerful San Andreas and San Jacinto faults, the Coachella Valley could be the epicenter of the most devastating earthquake in the country, one that is already 300 years overdue, a government scientist warned Thursday.

"There will be several thousand dead and billions of dollars in damage," said Lucy Jones, a seismologist at the U.S. Geological Survey and a member of the California Seismic Safety Commission.[...]

(visit the link for the full news article)


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She also said a devastating quake could topple buildings as far away as Los Angeles.

I wonder what other seismologists think about her dire warning.
Should Californians take this one seismolgist seriously?
Predicting a severe earthquake sounds too easy. It's like
saying South Florida is overdue for a big hurricane.
I'm sure it'll happen eventually.

What do ya'll think?

www.latimes.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Aecreate,
the article did say that stresses are building, but in short I think you got it about right. It is kind of like saying a Hurricane will hit Florida.
From what I gathered the stresses building are only part of it. They are also making the prediction on an overdue time line.
There was nothing about VLF seismic activity.

Originally posted by aecreate
I wonder what other seismologists think about her dire warning.
Should Californians take this one seismolgist seriously?

We will all die eventually, but how can we prepare for an even that could happen tommorow or 50 years away? It may seem nieve, but the majority of people living there won't change (IMO). If the study is backed up with other information suggesting a possible super 'quake' then I think it'd be down to the Government to prepare for the worst- but then again would they take such a threat seriously? I mean 300 years overdue, for all we know it could be another 300 before something happens.

Predicting a severe earthquake sounds too easy. It's like
saying South Florida is overdue for a big hurricane.
I'm sure it'll happen eventually.

Exactly, it reminds me of an episode of Family Guy when Peter gets conned by an insurance man into getting volcano insurance. The insurance sales man managed to convince him one was overdue because one hadn't happened before

[edit on 10-8-2007 by Knights]