Two of the most dangerous fault lines in the United States could be connected below California and will cause a catastrophic earthquake if they rupture together, a scientist has warned.
The Hayward Fault, the most populated in the world, and the Rodgers Creek Fault are believed to be linked underneath the San Pablo Bay.
Their connection has been debated for years but, as a result of the discovery, residents have been warned to brace themselves because the results would be devastating if they were to crack together.
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The Hayward Fault, the most populated in the world, and the Rodgers Creek Fault are believed to be linked underneath the San Pablo Bay in California, a scientist has claimed
According to US Geological geophysicist Janet Watt, they could produce a 7.3 magnitude earthquake.
That's stronger than the 1989 Loma Prieta quake, which caused 63 deaths and 3,757 injuries.
Watt told CBS San Francisco: 'We now have direct evidence that the faults come closer together in the bay and may be directly connected.'
She made the discovery during an underwater survey while using an acoustic instrument over the San Pablo Bay
'It would be devastating for an earthquake to rupture at both those faults — it’d be a very strong earthquake.
'If these two faults are connected then that means it would be easier for an earthquake to rupture from the Hayward to Rodgers or vice versa,' she added.
'People in the Bay Area just need to be prepared that they live in earthquake country.'
Older maps have shown there was a 2.5-mile gap between the fault lines. However, Watt's findings suggest they are connected by a small strand.
In August 2014, a violent 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck California's northern San Francisco Bay area, damaging buildings, starting fires, leaving thousands without power and seriously injuring three.
The 30-second earthquake struck just before 3:30am between the towns of American Canyon and Napa in the heart of the state's famous wine country, Leslie Gordon of the U.S. Geological Survey said.
It's was largest earthquake to shake the Bay Area since the deadly 6.9 magnitude Loma Prieta quake in 1989, the USGS said.
The largest earthquake ever recorded in California was a 7.8 earthquake that hit San Francisco in 1906.
Scientists will now try and confirm Watt's findings.
The Hayward Fault and the Rodgers Creek Fault run close to the San Andres fault line. There are concerns that if they were to rupture at the same time, the results could be catastrophic
US Geological geophysicist Janet Watt has warned that a 7.3 magnitude earthquake could be on the way. That's stronger than the 1989 Loma Prieta quake, which caused 63 deaths and 3,757 injuries, pictured
The Hayward Fault lies beneath several heavily-populated areas and is just across the water from San Francisco. Scientists will now try and confirm Watt's theory
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