Urgent warning over 'sonic boom' earthquakes that raze entire cities

"Supershear events are considered particularly dangerous because they deliver a 'double strike,' first the shock front, then the rupture itself. The shock front is the leading edge that moves faster than normal seismic waves, delivering a sudden, intense jolt like a sonic boom. The rupture follows, producing prolonged shaking and structural stress. Together these effects are known as the 'double strike' characteristic."

"In a supershear earthquake, the rupture along a fault line travels faster than the surrounding seismic waves, bunching up energy into a shockwave similar to the sonic boom created by a jet breaking the sound barrier. Beyond structural damage, Elbanna warned, critical lifelines such as power grids, transportation networks and water systems could be severely disrupted. Internet and communications could remain down for 'days or even weeks,' he added, creating a particularly dangerous situation"

Supershear earthquakes involve ruptures that travel faster than normal seismic waves, creating a leading shock front followed by the rupture that produces prolonged shaking. Such ultrafast ruptures generate a sudden, intense jolt like a sonic boom and then sustained structural stress, producing a 'double strike' effect. Studies of California's major strike-slip faults indicate a statistically likely chance of a supershear event in the near future. Violent shaking from supershear quakes can cover larger areas and last longer than conventional quakes, putting buildings and critical lifelines—power grids, transportation, water systems, and communications—at heightened risk.

Read at Mail Online