The Chance of Megathrust Earthquake Is Rising Right Now

Bright Side

Scientists are keeping a close watch on the chances of a megathrust earthquake happening soon. These are the strongest types of quakes, caused when one tectonic plate slides beneath another, and they can lead to massive destruction and tsunamis. Right now, certain regions like the Pacific Northwest, Japan, and Indonesia are showing increased seismic activity, which could mean stress is building up underground. Experts use data like small tremors, ground movement, and historical patterns to predict the likelihood of these quakes. While it's impossible to say exactly when or where it will happen, they're urging people in high-risk areas to be prepared. Having an emergency kit, a safety plan, and staying informed could save lives when the big one strikes.  Animation is created by Bright Side. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music from TheSoul Sound: https://thesoul-sound.com/   Check our Bright Side podcast on Spotify and leave a positive review! https://open.spotify.com/show/0hUkPxD34jRLrMrJux4VxV   Subscribe to Bright Side: https://goo.gl/rQTJZz ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brightside Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightside.official TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brightside.official?lang=en   Stock materials (photos, footages and other): https://www.depositphotos.com https://www.shutterstock.com https://www.eastnews.ru ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  For more videos and articles visit: http://www.brightside.me  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This video is made for entertainment purposes. We do not make any warranties about the completeness, safety and reliability. Any action you take upon the information in this video is strictly at your own risk, and we will not be liable for any damages or losses. It is the viewer's responsibility to use judgement, care and precaution if you plan to replicate.

Transcript

00:00There's a powerful force hiding underground, where tectonic plates meet, and one forces

00:08another under it.

00:09This happens in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

00:12Strain builds over centuries.

00:14The tension is unbearable until the megathrust awakens.

00:19The Earth shakes with a magnitude that can exceed 9 points, more powerful than any other

00:24earthquake.

00:26When the seafloor suddenly gets pushed up fast, it sends a huge ripple across the water,

00:31and a tsunami of huge force is out.

00:34These waves are called tele-tsunamis, and they cross entire ocean basins, ready to take

00:39over coastlines thousands of miles away.

00:43The thrust fall stretches over 600 miles.

00:46The Earth is not just shaking, it feels like it's tearing apart.

00:50This is the power of a megathrust earthquake.

00:53Those caught in its path will have to fight for their lives.

00:58Japanese authorities recently had to issue their first-ever megaquake advisory.

01:03It happened because of a strong tremor on the edge of the Nankai Trough ocean floor

01:08zone.

01:09In the end, most of the warnings were lifted, and there wasn't much damage from the 7.1

01:14magnitude earthquake.

01:16Parts of southwestern Japan started to shake, and the super-fast trains in Japan slowed

01:21down to stay safe, which made travel slower for everyone.

01:25But everyone is staying alert, as they know about the risk of a megathrust earthquake

01:29that could happen within the next few decades in the Nankai Trough.

01:34The tectonic plate under the Philippine Sea is slowly sliding underneath the land where

01:39Japan is, moving just a few inches every year.

01:43The last big earthquakes from this area happened in 1944 and 1946, both with a magnitude of

01:498.1.

01:51These quakes have caused a lot of destruction in the country.

01:54The next megathrust earthquake in the region, if it does happen, could be between a magnitude

02:008 and 9.

02:02Scientists still can't agree on how likely this mega-earthquake is to happen, but it

02:06could be up to 80% certainty.

02:11On the other side of the Pacific, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey have studied

02:16a dangerous area along the U.S. West Coast.

02:19It's called the Cascadia Subduction Zone, and it stretches from Northern California

02:25to Northern Vancouver Island in Canada.

02:28Over the past 14,200 years, there have likely been at least 30 big earthquakes in this region,

02:34when major quake happens every 500 years on average.

02:38But for a long time now, Cascadia has been quiet, and it worries scientists.

02:43They think this might be because the area is locked, meaning the tectonic plates are

02:48stuck together and building up a lot of pressure.

02:51Eventually, a part of the seafloor could suddenly break and move by several feet.

02:57The shaking would be just 5 minutes, but it would create a powerful tsunami as the seafloor

03:02shifts that would last for 10 hours.

03:05If it happens, it's going to be the worst natural disaster in the country's history,

03:09according to experts.

03:11The ground on some inland hills could turn into something like quicksand.

03:15This would cause the hillsides to slide and crumble, taking down roads and bridges.

03:21Around 620,000 buildings could be badly damaged or even collapse, including about 100 hospitals

03:28and 2,000 schools.

03:30People in Washington state might have to take care of themselves without help for two weeks,

03:35finding food, water, and shelter on their own.

03:41Scientists are studying slow-slip events, where the tectonic plates move very slowly

03:45over weeks or months, releasing some energy but not enough to stop a big one.

03:51Every time the magnitude of an earthquake goes up by just one number, the energy it

03:56releases is 40 times bigger.

03:59So we'd need about a million small earthquakes every day for 500 years straight to release

04:04the same energy as one huge magnitude 9 earthquake.

04:08But these small earthquakes might be clues that a bigger earthquake is coming.

04:13To better monitor the Cascadia Fault, experts are mapping the fault more accurately and

04:18adding better monitoring tools offshore.

04:22Scientists receive over $10 million to install seismic sensors and seafloor pressure gauges

04:27on a fiber-optic cable off the coast of Oregon.

04:31The goal is to be ready to warn people and potentially save lives when a big earthquake

04:36strikes.

04:40A sharp megathrust earthquake happened in this part of the world in 1964.

04:45It went down in history as the Great Alaska Earthquake and had a magnitude of 9.2.

04:52It lasted for more than 4 minutes, making it the most powerful earthquake in the history

04:56of the U.S. and North America.

04:59The ground shook so hard that it caused huge cracks and landslides.

05:04In Anchorage, many houses, buildings, and roads were destroyed because they weren't

05:08built to handle such a big earthquake.

05:11In some places, the land was permanently changed.

05:14For example, the coastline near Kodiak and Hinchinbrook Island was lifted by 30 feet.

05:20In other areas, like Gerwood and Portage, the ground sank by 8 feet.

05:25They had to rebuild roads higher so they wouldn't be flooded by the time.

05:30A huge 27-foot tsunami wiped out the entire village of Chenega.

05:35Many coastal towns were heavily damaged, not just by the earthquake, but also by tsunamis

05:40in the fires that followed.

05:42After the main earthquake, there were thousands of smaller aftershocks for months.

05:49A moderate earthquake of magnitude 4.4 shook Los Angeles in August 2024.

05:56Once it was over, the LA Fire Department checked around the city and didn't find any major

06:00damage or anyone hurt.

06:02In the nearby city of Pasadena, which is close to the earthquake's epicenter, a water pipe

06:07burst inside City Hall, and everyone had to leave the building.

06:11Thankfully, there was no danger of a tsunami.

06:14The best we can do to avoid panic in such situations is to be prepared.

06:21Japan is one of the places on Earth where earthquakes happen the most because it sits

06:25on the edges of four tectonic plates.

06:28Around 1,500 of these earthquakes each year are noticeable.

06:33Because of this, the people in Japan have learned to live with earthquakes.

06:37The 1950 law set a rule that buildings should be able to handle earthquakes up to a magnitude

06:437 without falling apart.

06:46An update 30 years later said that buildings should only have minor damage in such earthquakes

06:51and still work as usual.

06:53But if an earthquake is even stronger, the law says the building's main job is to not

06:58collapse and save people's lives.

07:01At the most basic level, buildings are made stronger with thicker beams, pillars, and

07:05walls so they can handle shaking better.

07:08Another technique is placing special pads made from materials like rubber at the base

07:13of a building.

07:14Some buildings are even built on thick layers of padding that separate them from the ground

07:19completely, which helps protect them during an earthquake.

07:22A skyscraper might sway back and forth a lot, moving up to 5 feet.

07:27To stop it from getting damaged, engineers can add something called dampers every second

07:32floor all the way to the top.

07:35These dampers are like giant bicycle pumps, but instead of air, they're filled with liquid.

07:40When the building shakes, the dampers push against the liquid inside them.

07:45Even though the liquid doesn't squish very much, it can still absorb some of the shaking.

07:52When they're building tall skyscrapers, engineers try to make the structure as simple and balanced

07:57as possible.

07:58This means having each floor the same height and placing the support columns evenly.

08:04But sometimes, architects who design skyscrapers don't want to make these compromises because

08:09they have creative ideas for how the building should look.

08:13Then they have to find compromise solutions.

08:16For example, Tokyo's Skytree Tower, one of the tallest buildings in the world, is designed

08:21in a futuristic style but also includes special features to protect it from earthquakes.

08:27It has a central pillar, like in traditional Japanese pagodas, and seismic dampers that

08:32help absorb the energy from an earthquake, keeping the building safe.

08:39That's it for today!

08:40So, hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and share it with your

08:44friends!

08:45Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!

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