Earthquake Bay Area
Earthquake Bay Area The Bay Area is one of the most seismically active regions in the United States. It is located on the San Andreas Fault, which is a major boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate. These two plates are constantly moving, and the friction between them causes earthquakes. On October 18, 2023, a magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck near Isleton, California. The quake was felt throughout the Bay Area, but it caused no major damage. However, it did trigger the ShakeAlert system, which is a system that warns people of impending earthquakes. The ShakeAlert was sent to millions of people, even though the quake was not severe. Why was the ShakeAlert triggered? The ShakeAlert system is designed to err on the side of caution. It is triggered by the first seismic waves to arrive from an earthquake. These waves are called P-waves, and they are the fastest type of seismic wave. P-waves can travel through the Earth's crust at speeds of up to 4 mile