If 'the big one' hit California?

Question

How far away would it be felt, given that it is as powerful as expected.

I live in Phoenix, Arizona and I was wondering how much we'd be able to feel it.

Thanks!

Answer 1

forget feeling it, you'll see it, see when the big one hits in california it will sink into the ocean and then you'll have coastal property in arizona!

Answer 2

If you go back and read the entire article, you will find it is a fictional event, a scenario about what could happen if such a quake occurred.  There is no earthquake predicted for November 2008.  If there were such a quake, you might feel it, but Idoubt there would be any significant effects in Phoenix.  The following is an excerpt from the article:

The scenario: The San Andreas Fault suddenly rumbles to life on Nov. 13, 2008, just after morning rush hour. The quake begins north of the U.S.-Mexican border near the Salton Sea and the fault ruptures for about 200 miles in a northwest direction ending near the high desert town of Palmdale about 40 miles north of downtown Los Angeles.

Scientists chose the scenario because it would create intense shaking in the Los Angeles Basin and neighboring counties — a region with nearly 22 million people.

The scenario will be released at a House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources meeting in Washington.

Answer 3

define big one... tsunami or earth quake?

Answer 4

If you are talking about a 8.0 or greater, and it hit the San Andreas fault in SoCal, I would think so.  You are about 300 miles from the fault area.  It won't be much, so don't worry about any damage or anything.

Answer 5

When you sense the earthquake of intensity 3 in Richter scale from a distance of 100 k/m the shaking will be 0.1 mm. This will increase by ten fold for every Richter scale and will get reduced as the distance increases from epicenter at the rate of inverse square of distance. If you are within 1000 K/M from California you need to worry. Otherwise no need to worry at all.