• News
    • Tech News
    • AI
  • Gadgets
    • Apple
    • iPhone
  • Gaming
    • Playstation
    • Xbox
  • Science
    • News
    • Space
  • Streaming
    • Netflix
  • Vehicles
    • Car News
  • Social Media
    • WhatsApp
    • YouTube
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
TikTok
Snapchat
WhatsApp
Submit Your Content
Experts warn 'unsurvivable’ megathrust earthquake impacting 45,000,000 people is long overdue in US

Home> Science> News

Published 14:53 8 Apr 2025 GMT+1

Experts warn 'unsurvivable’ megathrust earthquake impacting 45,000,000 people is long overdue in US

The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a 700 mile fault line that was last triggered 300 years ago

Rikki Loftus

Rikki Loftus

Featured Image Credit: Philip Thurston/Getty Images
Geography
News
Science
World News

Advert

Advert

Advert

While the Japanese government is warning the public about a potential megaquake that is set to devastate local areas, there is another threat of natural disaster that could do severe damage closer to home.

In fact, experts have warned that an ‘unsurvivable’ megathrust earthquake impacting 45,000,000 people is long overdue in the US.

The earthquake is set to be so catastrophic that it has become known as ‘the big one’.

The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a 700 mile fault line where the Juan de Fuca and North American plates meet.

Advert

This extends from northern California all the way to southern British Columbia and has the ability to cause enormous magnitude 9.0+ earthquakes and tsunamis.

The US could suffer a devastating earthquake in the next 50 years (Tomsmith585/Getty Images)
The US could suffer a devastating earthquake in the next 50 years (Tomsmith585/Getty Images)

In the last 6,000 years, 13 megathrust earthquakes have been identified, which gives the fault line an average of one every 500 to 600 years.

However, this isn’t a timely event as some have been known to happen as close together as 200 years or as far apart as 800 years.

Advert

With the last major earthquake happening over 300 years ago, now experts fear another ‘big one’ could be overdue.

With the last event taking place back in 1700, the population in the region has seen a lot of growth since and as of 2022, the population in the affected area consists of 45,161,000 people.

Now, scientists are predicting that there is around a 37% chance of a megathrust earthquake of 7.1+ magnitude erupting in this fault zone in the next 50 years.

If this happens, then this event will be felt throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Advert

The impact of the megathrust earthquake could be devastating (Philip Thurston/Getty Images)
The impact of the megathrust earthquake could be devastating (Philip Thurston/Getty Images)

It’s thought that tsunamis traveling 500 miles an hour in the immediate area will be ‘unsurvivable’ if residents cannot evacuate in time.

The severe shaking of the major earthquake will cause older buildings to collapse as well as bridges and will cause landslides.

This could cause land at the coast to sink by up to six feet, with much of the area being subject to flooding up to 10 miles inland.

Advert

In order to combat this, a team of researchers at the University of Oregon are working on ways to make sure people in the region are as prepared as they can be.

Part of their preparation involves an earthquake warning system known as ShakeAlert.

This sends a notification to users in order to give them warning of an earthquake before the dangerous shaking begins, which has involved researching how to accurately predict when an earthquake is imminent.

Choose your content:

2 days ago
3 days ago
  • 2 days ago

    Elon Musk doubles down on Mars mission update as he calls for ISS to be scrapped

    The Moon is just the first small step for man

    Science
  • 2 days ago

    Mind-blowing study suggests everything you see is actually from 15 seconds in the past

    Studies reveal that your brain is tricking you

    Science
  • 2 days ago

    Scientists spot mystery 'interstellar object' spotted hurtling towards our solar system

    This discovery would be just the third of its kind in history

    Science
  • 3 days ago

    Scientists discover horrifying find in human semen for the first time ever

    With more to be revealed as studies go on

    Science
  • Underground tunnels nearly 3,000 feet long with dark purpose discovered in US
  • TikToker has home raided and is arrested after predicting catastrophic Myanmar earthquake
  • Critical steps you should take in first 10 minutes if US is hit with nuclear bomb
  • Experts warn default WiFi setting is putting your iPhone at serious risk