Indonesia has been rocked by a succession of earthquakes within hours of each other, with the strongest registering magnitude-7.3 on the Richter scale. The two latest earthquakes hit the village of Saumlaki on the island of Yamdena. The most recent of those registered as magnitude-5.2 and is the latest in a series of quakes to strike Indonesia over the last few hours. The quake struck at 12.28am local time (4.28am BST).
Indonesia is not alone in experiencing earthquakes in the last 24 hours.
A magnitude-4.6 quake caused significant damage to the Chilean cry of Carahue, as its epicentre was relatively shallow – only 15 miles (24km) from the surface.
A couple of quakes were also felt on the US West Coast’s San Andreas fault line.
These was a magnitude-3.9 quake close to Petrol and a magnitude-2.6 earthquake near Parkland, California.
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The Big One is a hypothetical earthquake of magnitude 8 or greater that is expected to happen along the San Andreas Fault.
Such an earthquake will produce devastation to human civilisation within about 50-100 miles of the quake zone, especially in urban areas like Palm Springs, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
No-one can yet predict when the Big One will happen as seismologist cannot yet predict earthquakes with any precision.
The 1906 San Francisco quake, which had a magnitude-7.8, and the 1857 magnitude-7.9 Fort Tejon earthquake occurred in northern and central California, respectively, and both were classified as Big Ones.
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Some scientists think the next Big One will take place in southern California.
The San Andreas Fault passes through Los Angeles’ three main transportation, power, and utility corridors in southern California.
Fortunately earthquakes with magnitude 8.5 or greater are extremely rare, occurring on average once every few hundred years.
Even those who survive the immediate earthquake will find themselves in danger.
The first thing earthquake survivors will require is water, however most water mains will likely have been damaged.
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Utilities, from electricity, natural gas, gasoline, telephones will also be interrupted for days at least.
Medical facilities will be interrupted and unable to cope with the numerable casualties.
Many survivors will be unable to get to the hospital because roads will be damaged.
Banks will be closed, as will any business reliant on the internet.
Little if any food or medicine will reach the area, and communication networks will be sporadic at best.