A report in "Newsweek" magazine indicated that the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria at dawn on Monday, killing about 12,000 people in the two countries so far, will make scientists flock to the disaster area from all sides to learn more about the impact that a similar earthquake could have on a fault. San Andreas, California, USA.
The magazine stated that the East Anatolian fault, where the Turkish earthquake occurred, is similar in many characteristics to the San Andreas fault that bisects California, which helps seismologists to study indications about the next "big earthquake" expected in the US state.
It is believed that a massive earthquake caused by the San Andreas fault could occur at any moment, although it is currently beyond scientists' ability to predict when earthquakes will occur.
California geologist and earthquake hazard Brian Olson points out the similarities between the two faults, saying, "Both are sliding faults that form part of a major tectonic plate boundary, and both have historically caused earthquakes of magnitude 7.8-7.9 on the Richter scale."
Olson mentioned that the earthquake that struck San Francisco with a magnitude of 7.9 in 1906 killed 3 thousand people, and of the same strength was the 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake in California.
The Andreas Fault was also responsible for the 6.9-magnitude Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 in the San Francisco Bay Area that killed 63 people.
And the magazine pointed out that, by studying the effects of the earthquake in Turkey, scientists can learn more about the way a huge earthquake of similar strength in the San Andreas fault in California affects the region.
Olson warned that what will unfold through the Turkey quake may not help "predict" earthquakes on the San Andreas Fault because "the timing of the earthquake is affected by the unique forces associated with the tectonic plates moving along either side of the fault, the shape of the fault zone, and the properties of the rocks at depth along the fault." .
"What we can learn from this earthquake is how much this fault zone has moved and surface ruptured. We can also learn about the effects of strong shaking on the ground, underlying layer slopes, coastal areas, infrastructures, etc."
By studying the causes of these damages and deaths caused by the earthquake in Turkey, researchers may be able, according to the magazine, to plan more effectively to address its repercussions and perhaps strengthen the points at risk before the major earthquake hits.
"Earthquakes are inevitable, but our response to an earthquake is not, as we can control the safety of buildings and infrastructure," he concluded.