USA: Earthquake fault long thought dormant could devastate Los Angeles, researchers say

By Deborah Netburn

Scientists citing new research say an earthquake fault along the Los Angeles coast, previously believed to be dormant, is active and could cause a destructive 6.4 magnitude earthquake if it ruptured.

And if it linked with other faults, it could trigger an earthquake in the magnitude 7 range, according to a team of researchers from Harvard, USC and the U.S. Geological Survey.

The fault, known as the Wilmington Blind-Thrust fault, stretches for about 12.5 miles, running northwest from Huntington Beach, directly beneath the Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors, past the east side of the Palos Verdes Pensinula and out toward Santa Monica Bay.

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“It makes you wonder how many other faults are in California that are not detected and slow moving,” [Franklin] Wolfe [a doctoral student in the structural modeling and earth resources group at Harvard] said. “The San Andreas fault is the most noteworthy, but many other of faults in California capable of generating damage.”

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