Faults in Flagstaff, Yuma capable of producing magnitude 7.0 earthquakes
Jul 8, 2019, 10:15 AM | Updated: 2:09 pm
A visitor takes a photo of a crack on the ground following recent earthquakes Sunday, July 7, 2019, outside of Ridgecrest, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
PHOENIX — Following two major earthquakes in California over the Fourth of July weekend, Arizonans may be wondering if they could see similar quakes in their state.
Mike Conway, senior research scientist at the Arizona Geological Survey at the University of Arizona, told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News on Monday that it’s entirely possible.
“There are several different areas that could potentially produce a major earthquake. Certainly the Flagstaff area … is capable of producing a magnitude 7.0,” Conway said.
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake Thursday and a 7.1 on Friday were centered 11 miles from Ridgecrest, California, about 150 miles from Los Angeles.
Arizona has earthquakes, too! This 90-second time-lapse video portrays the ~ 3,000 earthquakes originating in or immediately adjacent to Arizona between 1852 and 2011. Support #Ridgecresthttps://t.co/JVKH8Q2Kb9 pic.twitter.com/rO5zsO0TqQ
— AZ Geological Survey (@AZGeology) July 7, 2019
Conway said southern Arizona could also see a major quake in the next few decades.
“Yuma, Arizona, is only 50 miles from the Imperial Fault, which is a splay off the San Andreas Fault, and that’s locked and loaded and ready to go,” he said.
“In all likelihood here in the next 25 to 30 years, they’re going to be feeling a magnitude 7.0 or maybe a little bit larger there in the Yuma area.”
Conway said while scientists can’t predict earthquakes, they can at least evaluate the chances of one.
“What we do is a little bit like the weatherman — we forecast events along certain faults, so basically the United States Geological Survey builds probability models,” he said.
“So the Imperial Fault … in the next 20 or 30 years, there’s a 40% chance or thereabouts of a magnitude 6.5 or larger earthquake.”
Conway said the best thing to do in the event of a quake is to take cover and prepare for aftershocks.
“Few buildings will ever collapse in an earthquake. What will happen is things will come off the walls, books will fall off, glass and brittle materials will fall onto the floor and break,” he said.
“If you can drop, cover and hold on, you’re likely to be very safe and protect yourself from injury.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
