A story headlined "Likelier here: the next Big One" in today's Los Angeles Times reports up top that a new "forecast" suggests a "much greater chance" of "a huge temblor" in Southern California during the next 30 years.
Because SoCal has remained relatively unshaken since the devastation of the Northridge quake of 1994, such news is of particular concern to area residents.
Paragraph No. 2 says that "California is virtually certain to experience at least one major temblor by 2028."
Then you get to Paragraph No. 19, which says:
The researchers were quick to point out that their forecast does not amount to an earthquake prediction. Moreover, the research focused on the probability of ruptures along the faults, not the potential destruction that can be caused by seismic waves, which do the most damage. Scientists noted that even parts of California that were not marked as the most seismically active could be vulnerable to far-reaching waves.Still, the researchers expressed hope that their findings would be used to improve seismic codes and boost emergency response plans.
Therefore … nevermind, I guess.