Story perspectives
California's Hidden Threat: Destructive Supershear Earthquakes Loom
10/4/2025
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Story summary
- California faces a significant seismic threat from supershear earthquakes, which can cause more destruction than conventional quakes.
- Supershear ruptures occur when the rupture front moves faster than shear waves.
- Historical evidence, including the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, shows supershear events are possible.
- Hazard maps and building codes do not account for supershear dynamics; early warnings may be ineffective.
