Public Safety

Why Southern California Is Ripe For A Large Earthquake

By Jade Hindmon / KPBS Midday Edition Co-Host, Bennett Lacy / Producer

Published April 17, 2019 at 9:02 AM PDT

This story was published more than 5 years ago.

California's San Andreas Fault seen in this undated photo by USGS.

Why Southern California Is Ripe For A Large Earthquake

A recent report by the U.S. Geological Survey shows California has gone more than 100 years without a significant land-rupturing earthquake. It has been nine years since a major earthquake of magnitude 6.0 or stronger was felt in the San Diego region.

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Easter Sunday marks nine years since the last major earthquake shook the San Diego region. The magnitude 7.2 Baja California earthquake caused significant damage in Mexicali in 2010.

Nearly five years have passed since an earthquake of magnitude 6 or stronger occurred in California. Researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey recently published a study detailing how the state is in the midst of an earthquake drought, defined as a span of 100 years with no major, ground-rupturing earthquakes. Scientists say it’s possible the pattern could change in the years ahead with a period of more frequent, destructive earthquakes.

RELATED: UC San Diego Earthquake Simulator Getting Upgrade

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Dr. Thomas Rockwell, a San Diego State University geology professor and paleoseismologist, discussed the study findings and the history of earthquakes in the San Diego region.

Video: San Diego Earthquake Professor Talks Earthquake Drought

Why Southern California Is Ripe For A Large Earthquake

A recent report by the U.S. Geological Survey shows California has gone more than 100 years without a significant land-rupturing earthquake. It has been nine years since a major earthquake of magnitude 6.0 or stronger was felt in the San Diego region. You can hear this story and other local news every morning by subscribing to San Diego News Matters, KPBS’ daily news podcast. Subscribe via iTunes, Google Play or your favorite podcatcher.

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Public Safety San Diego California Earthquakes

Jade Hindmon

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Jade Hindmon is KPBS Midday Edition co-host. Prior to making San Diego home, Jade worked in markets across the Southeast and Midwest, building a network of sources to tell the stories of people in each community. She worked as a multimedia journalist and anchor at WRTV in Indianapolis. While there, she launched “The Weekend Edition of Good Morning Indiana” and generated breaking news content for both broadcast and digital platforms. Prior to Indianapolis, she was an anchor and multimedia journalist at FOX Carolina in Greenville, SC. As part of that Emmy Award winning team, she covered elections, landed exclusive interviews, and interviewed presidential candidates. Jade also had the opportunity to cover international news and was able to travel to South Africa during the 2010 World Cup. Jade is a three-time Emmy nominee, a National Association of Black Journalists Salute to Excellence Finalist, and the recipient of a South Carolina Associated Press Award. She is a proud graduate of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.

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Bennett Lacy

Ben Lacy is a producer for KPBS Evening Edition and KPBS Roundtable.

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KPBS News: Public Safety Policy

KPBS has created a public safety coverage policy to guide decisions on what stories we prioritize, as well as whose narratives we need to include to tell complete stories that best serve our audiences. This policy was shaped through months of training with the Poynter Institute and feedback from the community. You can read the full policy here.

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