What Are Fault Lines ?

The ground beneath our feet is not as solid as it seems, and the earth’s crust which is just 1-2 miles deep is riddled with such cracks and areas of weakness. These cracks or fault lines are unevenly distributed meaning they exist at multiple points within the earths crust, some are under water others beneath mountains and even major cities.

When these cracks or faults experience even the smallest movements they can end up rubbing or sliding against opposing rock faces causing severe stress to cause the sudden rumbles we know as earthquakes. This article will cover a few of the major fault lines that exist around the world.

Anatolian Fault (Turkey)

This major transform fault crosses Turkey from east to west just 12 miles south of Istanbul. It’s been the site of many high energy earthquakes, which during the 20th century alone has caused more than 50,000+ fatalities.

Andaman Fault (Andaman Sea)

This plate sits in the strait that separates Burma and Sumatra. In 2004 It ruptured along roughly 1000 miles of fault line producing a huge earthquake and Tsunami known as the great Sumatra Andaman earthquake. Not only was it an event of huge destruction (300,000 lives lost) but as a geological phenomenon it was the largest to happen in the past 40 years which was then followed by the second largest just three months later on March 28, 2005.

Dead Sea Fault Zone (Dead Sea)

This transform fault allows sliding between the Arabian and African plates and over the last 20 million years has moved 50 miles north of the western side creating the Dead Sea.

Denali Fault (Alaska, USA)

This long transform fault which goes from west to east under Alaska has slid an estimated 250 miles since the late Mesozoic era. In 2002 it produced a magnitude 7.9 earthquake.