Quake On Bay Area Fault Could Kill Hundreds, USGS Simulation Shows

Published April 19, 2018 at 11:11 AM CDT

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In this 2016 photo, a sign notifying people they are standing on the Hayward Fault stands at the children's zoo area at the Oakland Zoo in Oakland, Calif. (Ben Margot/AP)

The U.S. Geological Survey released the results Wednesday of a simulated 7.0 magnitude earthquake near Oakland: It predicts such a quake along the Hayward fault would kill up to 800 people and more than $100 billion in total damage.

It also found a quake of that size could ignite up to 400 fires in the Bay Area that would destroy the equivalent of 52,000 single-family homes.

Here & Now‘s Eric Westervelt (@Ericnpr) speaks with USGS earthquake geologist emeritus David Schwartz about the risk.