Ana FaguyBBC News, Washington DC
Christal HayesBBC News, Los Angeles
Max Matza
BBC News, Seattle
Getty ImagesThe human need to make a pattern in the face of danger is extremely strong, it is a normal human response to being afraid.
It is the movement of plates in relation to each other – whether above, below or alongside – that causes stress to build up. When the stress is released, an earthquake can occur.
Scientists know why an earthquake occurs – sudden movements along fault lines – but predicting such an event is something that cannot be done and something “we do not expect to know how any time in the foreseeable future”.
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While the guess was correct, Ms Jones told the BBC that it’s unlikely any earthquake – including the largest, society-destroying types – will ever be able to be forecasted with any accuracy.
The agency notes it can calculate earthquake probability in a particular region within a certain number of years – but that’s as close as they can come.
Experts have said over the years, including people in the 1990s who would send faxes to her office in hopes of alerting her. Such a scenario appears to have happened with Mr Dmitruk, who has no science background.
The agency notes it can calculate earthquake probability in a particular region within a certain number of years – but that’s as close as they can come.
Experts have said over the years, including people in the 1990s who would send faxes to her office in hopes of alerting her. Such a scenario appears to have happened with Mr Dmitruk, who has no science background.
