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California sits along the San Andreas Fault. Here, two slabs of Earth's crust, called tectonic plates, slowly grind past one another. As this happens the plates snag on one another and build up tension. Every so often the plates slip and this tension is released in the form of earthquakes.

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Is it predicted that there will be an earthquake in California?

Yes. Earthquakes are a common occurrence in California, and some of the faults have been known to produce major earthquakes. It is inevitable that more major earthquakes will strike California in the future, but there is no way of knowing when or where they will be centered.


How does Memphis compare to California in terms of earthquakes and severity of earthquakes?

Memphis is located near the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which has a history of significant earthquakes, but it experiences far fewer seismic events compared to California. California is part of the highly active San Andreas Fault system, making it more prone to frequent and severe earthquakes. While both regions can experience damaging quakes, California's seismic activity is generally more consistent and intense due to its geological characteristics. Overall, earthquakes in California tend to be more severe and more common than those in Memphis.


Who has more earthquakes California or Massachusetts?

California has more earthquakes than Massachusetts. California sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and is located on several active fault lines, making it more susceptible to earthquakes compared to Massachusetts, which has less seismic activity.


Why do earthquakes happen in California more often than Texas?

more techtonic plate coliding in California


What state has second to the most earthquakes?

California next to Alaska, but California's quakes are more damaging.


What events are common to Hawaii California and Georgia due to plate tectonics and plate activity?

Earthquakes.


Who has more earthquakes Japan or California?

Japan. It has a lot of earthquakes, and is one of the most affected areas in the world. Because of their technology level (compared to countries like Indonesia and Fiji), Japan is the country with the most earthquakes reported each year. Though, that doesn't mean it's the country with the most earthquakes. But it certainly has more earthquakes than California.


What city is more likely to experience earthquakes Atlanta Georgia or Oakland California?

California get a lot more earthquakes then Gerogia. Gerogia has alot of floods and hurricanes. You can get all of your quick answers here on wiki answers.com


Has California had any hurricanes or earthquakes?

California has had many earthquakes, but no recorded hurricanes.


Where do earthquakes hit most often?

Earthquakes and volcanoes are more common along tectonic plate boundaries.


Why does Florida have less earthquakes than California?

California has more earthquakes then Florida, because California sits along the San Andreas Fault line. ( )-improvement, actually California sits on a series of many fault lines, the San Andreas only being one of them. San Andreas runs most of the length of the coast of California and is well known because it has a hard "kink" near LA which causes more violent earthquakes when it shifts, and can actually be seen in the topography of some areas of California from overhead.These fault lines are also a part of the "ring of fire" which causes the majority of the earthquakes and volcanoes along the West Coast of N America, Japan, and many of the Island chains of the Pacific.


The state famous for earthquakes?

California is famous for its earthquakes.