West Coast Quake Chain Reaction | Science News

Science News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 18, 2026 · 1m

A new study reveals a terrifying possibility: a massive earthquake in the Pacific Northwest could trigger a major quake in California within minutes or hours, creating a devastating chain reaction across the entire West Coast. Researchers stumbled upon this link while studying ancient seafloor sediment, finding paired earthquake layers that suggest one quake sets off the next. This discovery forces a major rethink of earthquake risk, showing that tectonic systems are more interconnected than previously believed—and that the fallout from one big quake could strike far beyond its epicenter…