Will California actually fall into the ocean when the big quake they are predicting hits?

Answer 1

No, California will not fall into the ocean. The surface of the Earth is covered with a number of lithospheric plates. According to the Theory of Plate Tectonics, these plates are always in movement. In the case of California, the Pacific Plate and the North American Plates are located side-by-side. Movement of the Pacific Plate toward the N or NW would indicate that the lower part of California will eventually slide to the North (over millions of years). Imagine southern California as a suburb of Alaska sometime in the far distant future!

Answer 2

I don't think that California will actually fall into the ocean it might separate slowly and float off. If the Teutonic plates were to shift that much all at one time it would be a huge global disaster. People cannot predict when or where the next quake will occur but they do know when the plates are active. They know enough history about the earth and these shifts and can sort of make an educated guess as to what might eventually happen. The whole thing about California literally falling into the ocean is a worse case and highly exaggerated scenario

Answer 3

California and Hawaii are the only 2 US states on the Pacific tectonic plate, while most of the other "continental" US is on the North American tectonic plate. These 2 plates are moving past each other very slowly; at only 1-2 cm/year (about an inch/year), but incredible forces and strains are created by friction / resistance thus earthquakes result. California won't "fall into the ocean" it will slowly move away from the North American Plate with the rest of the Pacific plate.

Answer 4

About half of California has already split off from the mainland. If you don't believe me pull up a map of Mexico and see that peninsula labeled "Baja California". Funny, but when the Spaniard Explorers first landed on Baja, they thought they were on an island (if they only stuck around for a few more million years, they might have been right :-).

Answer 5

Because California is the site of the transform fault, San Andreas, the plate movement is from side to side. What may happen in a few million years from now would be Los Angeles and San Fransisco could be one large metropolis.

Answer 6

It is my understanding the the two plates will continue their north-south travel and eventually we may see the southern coast of California as an island off the coast of N. California.


(but it will take a LONG time!)

Answer 7

The theory that CA will fall into the ocean is actually backwards. It's the rest of the US that will fall into the ocean. Las Vegas will then be on the east coast.

Answer 8

The only way for it to be underwater would be if it lowered as it went sideways. There is still ground under the ocean, it's not like it can just FALL OFF the side of the US and go underwater.

Answer 9

the coast of california will be underwater, LA and SF will meet each other.

Answer 10

I heard that it will eventually float northward and settle near Alaska.