A “large” earthquake cannot reach magnitude 10

This is an AI-generated summary, which may contain errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Geologists say a 10-magnitude earthquake is impossible, while the largest quake expected to come from the West Valley Fault is expected to have a magnitude of 7.2.

Claim: The “Big Earthquake,” the powerful earthquake likely to hit the Metro Manila area on the West Valley Fault, will be a magnitude 10 earthquake.

Rating: False

Why we checked it: Many posts with variations of the false claim were circulating on Facebook, with the most popular post having 1.2 million views, 17,000 reactions, 5,300 shares, and 1,200 comments.

The pages that posted these allegations present themselves as part of the Ministry of Social Welfare and Development as their supposed TV network.

Posts use similar captions, with some using video clips of supposed news anchors and others attaching graphics. All posts indicate that classes will be suspended in preparation for the impending 10-magnitude earthquake.

Users are directed to click on the post links for more details. These links claim to show a list of areas that will be hit by the earthquake and places where classes have been suspended.

Facts: Earthquakes of magnitude 10 or greater cannot occur, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This is because the size of an earthquake is directly related to the length of the fault it is expected to occur on.

“There is no fault long enough to generate a magnitude 10 earthquake, and if it did, it would extend around most of the planet,” the USGS explained.

According to the USGS, the largest earthquake ever recorded was a magnitude 9.5 earthquake on May 22, 1960, in Chile on a fault about 1,000 miles, or about 1,600 kilometers, long. In comparison, the West Valley Fault is about 100 km long.

Not a magnitude 10: The “major quake,” which refers to a quake expected to occur along the West Valley Fault, is also expected to have a magnitude of 7.2. This is according to studies conducted by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Phivolcs data, published by the Philippine Statistics Authority, also indicates that the potential maximum magnitude of an earthquake generated by the West Valley Fault could only reach 7.4. (Read: What risks await when the West Valley Fault moves?)

The West Valley Fault moves about every 400 years. For this reason, experts say that the “big event” could happen in our lifetime. However, it is not possible to predict exactly when or where the Big Bang might occur. (Explainer: Is it possible to predict earthquakes?)

Phishing risk: The URL scanner shows that links attached to these posts lead to unofficial blog sites. Interacting with these websites may expose users to phishing risks. (Read more: Phishing 101: How to Spot and Avoid Phishing)

Recent Earthquakes: This false claim started circulating after a series of earthquakes struck northern Cebu and Mindanao from late September to October this year.

The 6.9 magnitude earthquake that struck Bogo City, Cebu, on September 30, was caused by a previously unmapped fault called the Bogo Bay Fault. At least 79 people were killed, 559 were injured, and nearly P6.8 million in infrastructure damage was recorded, according to data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Days later, on October 10, twin earthquakes of magnitude 7.4 and 6.8 struck Davao Oriental. Although the earthquakes were less destructive than the Cebu earthquake, they caused at least eight casualties.

Previous Fact Checks: Rappler has previously debunked several false claims about earthquakes

-Shay Du/Rappler.com

Keep us informed of suspicious pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles or photos on your Facebook network by contacting us at [email protected]. You can also report questionable claims to the #FactsFirstPH tip line by messaging Rappler on Facebook or Newsbreak via Twitter direct message. Let's fight misinformation by checking the facts every time.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos