Earthquakes shake the ground we live on, but they also cause ruptures within the earth, trigger landslides, and even turn soil to liquid. Every part of California has some level of earthquake risk, but some of those risks can be mitigated. Learn how the geologic hazards where you live could affect your home during an earthquake.
The shaking your house experiences depends on how far it is from the fault and the soil under and around it.
An earthquake can push and pull the ground, tearing the surface and pushing the ground apart and upward. These are known as “surface ruptures.”
Earthquakes often trigger landslides, causing significant and even catastrophic damage to houses.
Earthquake motion can turn loosely packed, water-saturated soil to liquid—"liquefaction.”