There is growing concern among seismologists that the 7.2 Mexicali earthquake on April 4 placed more pressure on faults in Southern California, resulting in increased quake activity over the last three months. …
Wednesday’s quake was centered in the San Jacinto fault zone — Southern California’s most active — which runs 100 miles from the border northwesterly toward Riverside and San Bernardino. Scientists had warned for some time that the Mexicali quake had transferred pressure from the Mexican border area toward the San Jacinto fault and nearby Elsinore fault — which extends 110 miles and could cause major damage in urban areas — making quakes there more likely.
“The probability of a larger earthquake on those faults could be high within the next year or two,” said John Rundle, a professor of physics and geology at UC Davis.
