A destructive earthquake in California will happen imminently and people need to protect themselves now, a top scientist has warned.
Seismologist Lucy Jones from the US Geological Survey warned in a dramatic speech that people need to act to protect themselves rather than ignoring the threat.
Dr Jones said our decision to not accept it will only mean more people suffer as scientists warn the ‘Big One’ is now overdue to hit California.
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A view of the San Andreas fault in the Carrizo Plain. Seismologist Lucy Jones from the US Geological Survey warned she is trying to make people accept the fact catastrophe is imminent and that they need to prepare themselves
In a keynote speech to a meeting of the Japan Geoscience Union and American Geophysical Union, Dr Jones warned that the public are yet to accept the randomness of future earthquakes.
People tend to focus on earthquakes happening in the next 30 years but they should be preparing now, she warned.
Dr Jones, who is from the US Geological Survey said there are three key reasons why the peril is so frightening – it cannot be seen, it is uncertain and it seems unknowable.
This means people bury their heads in the sand and pretend it won’t happen.
‘We find patterns even when they’re not real,’ Dr Jones said.
‘Someone’s decision not to be ready increases the chances that others will suffer,’ Jones said, writes the LA Times.
She tweeted on 23 May; ‘I’m not trying to terrify people. I’m trying to inspire action that will prevent our scenarios from coming true. It’s in our power to change’.
Her team have published a scenario of a 7.8 earthquake on the San Andreas fault that could kill many people and devastate 15,000 buildings……more here