Recent research found that the Wilmington blind-thrust fault that lies below the busy Port of Los Angeles is active, not dormant as long thought. Credit: Nick C Prior, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Recent research found that the Wilmington blind-thrust fault that lies below the busy Port of Los Angeles is active, not dormant as long thought. Credit: Nick C Prior, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Secrets of a Los Angeles blind thrust fault reveal increased seismic risk


By Alka Tripathy-Lang

October 1, 2019

The Los Angeles metro area is home to more than 18 million people, millions of barrels of oil, and hundreds of earthquakes per year. Most people don’t realize that the San Andreas Fault runs about 35 miles (56 kilometers) northeast of LA, and that LA contains more than 100 other potentially dangerous faults. Although a large earthquake on the San Andreas near LA would be devastating, the faults that sit directly below the city pose a serious hazard as well.

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