US earthquake fear: ‘It may be the same as in Turkey’
Nicknamed “The Earthquake Woman,” one of the top seismologists in the US, Dr. Lucy Jones warned that the San Andreas fault in California could trigger an earthquake as severe as the one in Turkey.
Noting that a severe earthquake can also cause great destruction in California, Jones said, “Even in California, we don’t build houses that we can use after the earthquake.” In his Twitter post, Jones said: “It angers me that we don’t want to see the shortcomings we have, by immediately accepting the conclusion that the problems in Turkey are their fault alone.”
‘OUR ZONING LAWS MUST CHANGE TOO’
Noting that in a big earthquake like the one in Turkey, only 1% of the buildings in Los Angeles will collapse, but most of them will be damaged so much that they will not be habitable, the American seismologist said that the zoning laws of the state of California are designed in a way that doesn’t kill people but keeps construction costs low, so the buildings are reliable enough.
dr lucy jones
“It may be necessary to completely demolish the building, this financial loss is a choice. The zoning law just guarantees that you crawl out and survive,” Jones said, adding that he has been asking authorities for years to build stronger buildings against the damage that can occur in a potential earthquake. The famous scientist recalled that building buildings that are strong enough to be used after an earthquake only increases the cost of construction by 1 percent, but that two separate bills to amend zoning laws in the state were also rejected in the last five years.
LIKE THE EASTERN ANATOLIAN FAULT
Earthquake experts note that the San Andreas fault line in California is a vertical “hit and slip” fault line, very similar to the eastern Anatolian fault line where the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes occurred.
Considered among the most dangerous fault lines in the world, the San Andreas fault stretches for approximately 1,200 kilometers through California and is expected to cause an earthquake of at least 7 magnitude in the near future.
Source: Sozcu
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
