Experts Warn That Small Earthquake in Concord Signals Potential Big One Along Hayward Fault in California Bay Area

California’s Bay Area got a bit of a shake on Friday afternoon, and experts are starting to worry this might be a warning sign from one of the region’s most dangerous fault lines.

At 3:11 pm ET, a 3.2 magnitude earthquake hit the city of Concord — a community just 25 miles east of San Francisco with over 120,000 residents.

Thankfully, there have been no reports of injuries or damage so far.

But this wasn’t just a one-off tremor. Concord has seen four minor quakes in the past 24 hours, with Friday’s being the strongest.

The others were smaller, but the cluster has geologists paying close attention.

The Hayward Fault: A Potential Ticking Time Bomb

What has scientists especially on edge is Concord’s proximity to the Hayward Fault, which is only about five miles away.

This 74-mile fault runs along the East Bay hills and has long been overshadowed by the more famous San Andreas Fault.

But recent research suggests the Hayward Fault might be overdue for a major quake — one that could be far worse than anything felt around here in over a century.

The last big earthquake along this fault struck on October 21, 1868, with a magnitude of 6.8.

Experts Warn of a Possible Major Earthquake Soon

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have studied the Hayward Fault closely and found that it tends to produce a significant earthquake every 140 years or so.

Since it’s been more than 144 years since the last major shake, the clock may indeed be ticking.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) has been running simulations — the so-called HayWired Scenario — to estimate what would happen if the fault ruptured with a magnitude 7.0 earthquake.

The results are sobering: between 800 and 2,500 people could lose their lives in a quake hitting major Bay Area cities like San Francisco and Oakland.

A Looming Threat to the Bay Area’s Future

While the San Andreas Fault usually grabs the headlines, experts are warning that the Hayward Fault might be the one to watch.

The USGS has made a chilling prediction that a significant seismic event could strike the Bay Area as soon as 2032 — just seven years from now.

For now, residents and authorities alike are urged to stay prepared and keep a close eye on any unusual activity along these fault lines.

It’s a reminder that while California has lived with earthquakes for centuries, the “Big One” might be closer than we think.