Annnd, the San Andreas Fault is showing signs of stress

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Four urban areas of the San Andreas Fault System in Northern California have accumulated a sufficient amount of energy to produce major earthquakes, a new study finds. Scientists say the region appears to be overdue for a significant quake.

The four areas singled out in the study are: Hayward, Rodgers Creek, northern Calaveras and Green Valley.

In the study, researchers measured fault creep, which is slipping that occurs in the uppermost part of the earth's crust during the time period between large earthquakes on a fault. If no fault creep occurs, then a fault is considered locked and strain will build up until it is released in an earthquake, during which much greater strain is released in a matter of seconds.

Researchers found that three sections of the San Andreas Fault system in Northern California -- Hayward, Rodgers Creek and Green Valley -- are either near or past their average recurrence interval and have accumulated sufficient strain to trigger earthquakes of magnitude 6.8 or greater.

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