Large quakes from distant faults such as those in the San Francisco Bay Area or east of the Sierra Nevada can also cause significant damage to homes, businesses, and communities, especially in areas where water levels are high in soft soils that can settle unevenly during shaking.

These occurred on active faults found in wide zones along the crest of the Sierra Nevada, through Lake Tahoe, along the foothills, and in the western Sacramento Valley.

Moderate earthquakes have occurred in the high Sierra, the foothills and in the Central Valley.

The mountains and the valley have been shaped by repeated earthquakes on faults in the region.

The Delta region and the Sierra Nevada are known for natural scenery and historic landmarks, and also could face earthquakes.

They also say thereвЂ™s a 98 percent chance of one or more magnitude-6.0 or greater quakes occurring in the San Francisco area during that same timeframe.Дelta, Sierra and Greater Sacramento AreasДЄlpine, Amador, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tuolumne, Yolo, Yuba

Scientists predict that within a 30-year period (beginning in 2014), thereвЂ™s a 51 percent chance that the San Francisco region specifically will experience one or more magnitude-7.0 or greater earthquakes.

These and several other major faults in the region are part of the San Andreas fault system and can cause damaging earthquakes, like the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

The Calaveras and Hayward faults extend up the east side of the San Francisco Bay.

The main trace of the San Andreas fault runs through much of the State of California, including the Santa Cruz Mountains and up the San Francisco Peninsula, before heading offshore at Daly City and returning onshore again at Bolinas and continuing up the Marin and Sonoma County coasts.

The greater San Francisco Bay Area has a high likelihood of future damaging earthquakes as it straddles the San Andreas fault system-the major geologic boundary between the North American and Pacific tectonic plates.

What is the Earthquake Risk in San Francisco What to Expect from an Earthquake along the Hayward Fault Even moderate shaking canвЂЇdamage seismically-vulnerable structures and trigger landslides that could quickly block roads and highways.ДЄlameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma

Very large earthquakes that occur closer to the Northern California coast could cause damaging levels of ground shaking here too.

Much of the north-eastern part of the state is actively stretching apart,вЂЇcreating numerous faults, all capable of producing earthquakes.

The Modoc Plateau has both active volcanoes and faults.In addition to volcanoes, this is also earthquake country. The Trinity Mountains, Modoc Plateau, Shasta and Lassen peaks were created by geologic forces that are still shaping the landscape.*The 76% probability of one or more magnitude 7.0 earthquakes striking Northern California is based on a 30-year period, beginning in 2014.Д«utte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity See the USGS interactive fault map to learn more about faults in this area Landslides are possible on steep hillsides. Houses on liquefied soil may settle or even move laterally on gentle slopes. Soils in lowland areas away from major faults may be subject to liquefaction.Very large earthquakes occurring close to the coast could cause damaging levels of ground shaking and tsunami waves.Scientists report that partial ruptures of the Cascadia Seismic Zone occurring on the southern half (which extends into Northern California) have historically generated earthquakes with magnitude 8 or greater.This zone is capable of generating an earthquake of a magnitude 9 or larger, occurring-on average-once every 500 years.The Cascadia Subduction Zone stretches underneath the Humboldt-Del Norte county region, extending from Cape Mendocino all the way up through the Pacific Northwest.

California earthquake