The amount of earthquakes rocking through the states of California and Nevada staggers the mind. According to information culled from the Southern California Earthquake Data Center located at Caltech, both states have had 906 earthquakes, all within the past seven days. Personally, even though I myself don’t live in the Golden State, I feel very anxious about this level of seismic activity. Could it be an indication that there’s a huge quake on the way? One that might completely devastate Western parts of the country? I certainly hope now.
And if that’s not enough to make you uncomfortable, magma is moving over in Yellowstone and we are now being warned about a massive volcano off the coast of Oregon that might erupt soon. Houses in New England were, “shaking like crazy” after an unusual earthquake struck that part of the nation. Again, you have to wonder what this all means and whether or not it’s a sign of trouble to come.
One piece of good news we can take away from this is that the quakes that are hitting California and Nevada, thus far, are very small. However, during the course of the last 12 months, there have been an increasing number of mid-sized earthquakes in the region. Lucy Jones, a seismologist, stated that the southern portion of the Golden State usually experiences 5 earthquakes of 4.0 or greater every year. However, by Aug. 20, 2024, the region was pummeled by 13.
According to Jones, there have been 13 earthquakes in Southern California with magnitudes of 4.0 or greater this year alone. Compare that to the last 20 years, there have been about five earthquakes per year of 4.0 or greater in Southern California, she added.
All of that happened before northern California got rocked, in a literal sense, by a 7.0 quake on December 5th.
A magnitude 7 earthquake hit off the coast of northern California on Thursday (Dec. 5). However, a tsunami warning that had initially been prompted by the earthquake has now been canceled, according to the U.S. Tsunami Warning System. The earthquake hit at 10:44 a.m. PST (18:44 UTC) at a depth of about 0.4 mile (0.6 kilometers), according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The earthquake occurred off the coast, about 39 miles (63 km) northwest of the city of Petrolia in Humboldt County.
And it seems as if this trend is continuing at the start of 2025. The San Andreas fault was hit with 4 notable quakes in mid-January.
The four quakes occurred along the San Andreas fault – the volatile boundary between two tectonic plates: the Pacific plate and the North American plate. It runs 800 miles along the coast of California. Scientists have said that the West Coast is overdue for a massive quake along the San Andreas fault, which would measure magnitude 8 or higher.
Many individuals, both in the science community and outside of it, have been watching for signs that the “Big One” was on the way. We’re talking about a quake so powerful it will, quite literally, alter the geography of California’s coastline permanently. This isn’t just about California and Nevada either. Both Oregon and Washington have a whole lot to be worried about as well.
Scientists are now talking about a “buildup of magma” at a 3,600 foot-tall volcano close to the coast of Oregon.
Axial Seamount, a massive underwater volcano located nearly 300 miles off the Oregon coast, is showing signs of an imminent eruption. This 3,600-foot-tall volcano, which spans 1.25 miles across and sits 4,626 feet beneath the Pacific Ocean’s surface, is currently experiencing significant swelling and rumbling, indicating a buildup of magma.
Researchers are predicting that this volcano beneath the surface of the ocean “will erupt by the end of 2025.”
After closely monitoring the volcano’s activity, Oregon State University Research Associate Bill Chadwick predicts that Axial Seamount will erupt by the end of 2025 based on its recent increase in activity.
The good news is scientists say when it does finally blow its top, it will not be a threat to the people who are living along the coast. For those in Oregon and Washington, the big threat is Mt. Rainier. Check out the following information from a piece called, “Mount Rainier monitored closely as scientists keep watch for signs of volcanic activity.”
Experts believe an eruption from Mount Rainier would post a grave threat to millions of people who live in the southern and eastern sections of the Seattle metropolitan area.
“One of the main hazards at Rainier, is it’s less explosive, but it has a lot of glaciers on top of it that can melt and form these really large lahars that can move downstream into areas people live in,” Iezzi said. Lahars are very destructive volcanic mudflows that can swallow everything in their paths.
These are things everyone needs to keep a close eye on, as it could have a significant impact on the entire country, especially from an economic standpoint. Let’s hope none of these disasters strike and we end up having a peaceful year.
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