00:00So, since 2000, the world has been hit with more than 1,700 earthquakes with magnitude
00:07greater than 5.
00:09Many happened around the Ring of Fire, located around the Pacific Ocean.
00:13In North America, the biggest threat is the San Andreas Fault Line, which can create an
00:18earthquake of a magnitude higher than any other, earning it the spine-tingling nickname
00:22The Big One.
00:24The potential destruction of California is a terrifying prospect that could have unimaginable
00:29consequences, but The Big One is just the beginning of what's to come.
00:36Bad news!
00:37Scientists have predicted an earth-shattering event that will occur in 2030.
00:42Like it or not, there's a 70% chance that we'll experience The Big One, and it will
00:47be an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7.
00:50The San Andreas Fault Line will cause The Big One, but what is scary is that we can't
00:55predict it.
00:56On the other hand, a massive earthquake occurs every 100 years.
01:00This means there's always time to prepare for a natural disaster.
01:04If we traveled back in time, we'd see a few significant earthquakes like the ones
01:08that wiped out San Francisco and Fort Tahon.
01:12Buildings made a long time ago are not quake-proof.
01:15They will collapse.
01:16Even if they survive, you should not enter them.
01:20But buildings are not the most dangerous part.
01:23You should watch out for electrical lines and gas pipes.
01:26Your hill house might be lovely, but it is extremely unsafe.
01:30During quakes, the hill can turn into a massive landslide that will destroy everything in
01:35its path.
01:36Say goodbye to road trips because all the roads will be ruined.
01:39You should have some spare water and food since you won't be able to go to the supermarket.
01:44This disaster won't be cheap.
01:46It will cost the US around $200 billion to recover from the quake.
01:51At least the earthquake will not trigger tsunamis.
01:54But there's something that can cause more damage than the big one.
01:59The notorious Cascadia subduction zones start in California and end up all the way in Vancouver,
02:06Canada.
02:07The San Andreas fault line is nothing compared to this zone.
02:10It can wipe the whole coast off the face of the Earth.
02:13An example of hyperbole.
02:15Subduction zones are tectonic plates forced to be one under the other and constantly pulling
02:20apart.
02:21One is called the North American Plate and the other is the Juan de Fuca Plate.
02:26Zones like these are not to be messed with since they are terrifying hotspots for earthquake
02:30activity and extremely dangerous because they cause massive underwater quakes.
02:35But they are underwater, so what can they do to us?
02:39Well, they can cause giant tsunamis, flooding cities, and destroying the coastline.
02:44Right now, the most active zone is the Ring of Fire.
02:47The Cascadia zone might be less active, but it is like a sleeping beast that can wake
02:52up and destroy everything in its path, causing a groundbreaking earthquake.
02:57The last time all this stress was released was in the year 1700.
03:03Unlike the San Andreas quake, this one will cause massive tsunamis and much bigger shocks.
03:08Let's hope you'll be camping in an open field at that time because most buildings
03:13and bridges will likely be destroyed.
03:15Also be ready for the aftershocks, as they'll be devastating.
03:19Nature won't be spared either.
03:21Landslides will change animals' habitats.
03:24Even our homes will be changed forever.
03:26Luckily, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and scientists are doing everything
03:30they can to ensure our safety.
03:32New rules are implemented.
03:34Every new building must be able to withstand massive shocks.
03:37They're developing modern warning systems, and every new infrastructure must follow strict
03:42quake-proof guidelines.
03:45The Juan de Fuca and the North American plates are locked together, but they won't stay
03:49like that forever.
03:51When they unlock, get ready for a massive shake.
03:54The closer you are to the epicenter, the more damage you'll experience.
03:58But even if you are lucky to be far away, you may still feel the ground shaking for
04:02some time.
04:07If we compare the Cascadia subduction zone and the San Andreas fault, we'll see how
04:12much more dangerous the Cascadia zone is.
04:15In 1994, there was an enormous 6.7-magnitude earthquake in the Northridge area, close to
04:21the San Andreas fault.
04:22Sadly, many people didn't make it, and some were injured.
04:26Back then, buildings were not strong and earthquake-proof, and many of them were damaged.
04:31The Cascadia subduction zone can potentially cause a magnitude 9 earthquake.
04:36A magnitude 6 quake has the power of around 44 million pounds of dynamite.
04:42But a magnitude 9 has the power of 44 trillion pounds of dynamite.
04:48The strongest ever recorded quake was in Chile.
04:51Its magnitude measured 9.5, and it destroyed most everything.
04:56So let's say you've survived the quake, but the struggle is far from over.
05:01Soon after, a massive tsunami will strike, with waves that might reach up to 100 feet
05:06in some areas.
05:07That's so unlike the San Andreas earthquake, which can't produce any significant waves.
05:11So say goodbye to your beautiful garden, since saltwater will destroy trees and plants, changing
05:17the environment for a period of time.
05:19The only positive thing will be you won't need Halloween decorations, because all those
05:24dried-out trees will resemble a ghost forest.
05:27The combination of waves, quakes, and the sheer size of the area will make this natural
05:32disaster much more dangerous than any caused by the San Andreas Fault or the so-called
05:37Big One.
05:41A quake similar to this happened around 300 years ago.
05:44Many more have been recorded in the past 3,500 years, proving that they continually occur
05:50every 400-600 years.
05:52So technically, we have around 100-300 years before the next Big One hits.
05:59You still have no idea how exactly the Cascadia subduction zone works, because we discovered
06:05it in 1970.
06:07This zone is super scary because it can cause big earthquakes.
06:10It was found by accident when researchers studied the Ring of Fire.
06:15They wanted to know if this area had caused any trouble in the past years, and the proof
06:19was under their noses.
06:21In Washington, there is a horror forest where nothing has been growing for years.
06:26When researchers tested the soil, they found a tremendous amount of salt.
06:30They put two and two together and concluded that a massive tsunami had been the reason.
06:35Experts still didn't know when the forest was destroyed.
06:39But Japan kept records of a gigantic earthquake that had a similar effect.
06:44It was the one that happened in the year 1700.
06:47There is a 1 in 3 chance that the next one will occur in 2050.
06:53You must know how to survive the Canadian earthquakes and make it out unscathed, so
06:57listen carefully.
06:59Those who live in this area have almost no experience with earthquakes like this one.
07:04Surviving the quake is relatively easy, but the tsunami coming afterwards is the real
07:08danger.
07:10After the shake, find the highest ground and go there.
07:13Only bring the essentials, like food and water.
07:15Yeah, leave your baseball card collection at home.
07:19After the first hit, don't try to go down.
07:21Some seismologists say that, most likely, there will be a few more waves, and they have
07:25proven this.
07:27On the 22nd of May, 1960, seismologist Jerry Esten and his four friends went to Hawaii
07:33to see an expected tsunami that was to happen around midnight.
07:37They set up their gear on Wailuku Bridge with an escape route planned.
07:41This bridge had been destroyed in the previous tsunami, but the new one was much taller and
07:45better.
07:46After midnight, the water was 4 feet above the average level.
07:50The second wave hit a half-hour after midnight, and the water rose another 9 feet by 1 a.m.
07:57The water started going down and dropped by 7 feet, but the horror was far from over.
08:02Next, they saw a wave that was around 20 feet tall.
08:06This shows us that tsunamis are unpredictable, and we should listen to experts to stay safe.
08:16That's it for today!
08:17But – hey!
08:18If you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and share it with your friends!
08:22Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!
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