Produced & Designed by: Manoj Kumar
U.S. researchers Ross Stein and Peter Bird warn that branch faults, often overlooked, could serve as “on-ramps” for devastating continental earthquakes, making major fault lines even more dangerous than previously thought.
According to U.S. scientists Stein and Bird, massive earthquakes like Türkiye’s 2023 quake often begin on seemingly insignificant branch faults, posing a much greater risk than we realize.
The five largest continental earthquakes since 2000, all beginning on branch faults, are a clear sign, according to Stein and Bird, that these faults are ticking time bombs ready to unleash devastation.
U.S. researchers Stein and Bird predict the next catastrophic earthquake will likely start on a branch fault, making previously ignored regions critical hotspots for monitoring.
Stein and Bird’s research suggests that branch faults can accelerate ruptures at supershear velocity, turning small faults into highways for massive, unstoppable earthquakes.
With 25,000 kilometers of continental transform faults worldwide, Stein and Bird’s findings imply that many regions are at higher risk of catastrophic earthquakes than previously believed.
The average occurrence of magnitude 7.8 or larger earthquakes every 2-5 years means we won’t have to wait long to see if Stein and Bird’s terrifying predictions hold true.
U.S. researchers Stein and Bird warn that unmonitored, “mangy wannabe faults” could secretly trigger catastrophic earthquakes, putting millions of lives at risk.
Stein and Bird’s findings suggest current earthquake monitoring systems are too narrowly focused, leaving many dangerous branch faults unchecked and communities vulnerable.
U.S. researchers Stein and Bird caution that if branch faults rupture at supershear velocity, they could slam into main faults with deadly force, triggering massive seismic events faster than expected.