PUENTE HILLS: The Fault Hiding Directly Under Los Angeles

Beneath downtown Los Angeles lies a 25-mile earthquake fault that remained unknown for an entire century. The Puente Hills Fault does not leave a visible scar on the surface. It begins miles underground—directly beneath one of the most heavily populated cities in America. In this cinematic documentary, we uncover how oil-company seismic scans revealed a hidden fault beneath Los Angeles, why scientists failed to see it, and what could happen if all three sections rupture together. A full Puente Hills earthquake could reach magnitude 7.2 to 7.5. Despite releasing less energy than a major San Andreas earthquake, its location directly beneath the Los Angeles basin could make it dramatically more destructive. This documentary investigates: How the Puente Hills Fault remained invisible for decades The seismic scans that finally revealed it in 1999 Why the fault never reaches the surface How the Los Angeles basin amplifies earthquake shaking The 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake Why that earthquake may have released less than 1% of the system’s potential The estimated death toll and economic destruction from a full rupture Why Puente Hills could damage Los Angeles more severely than the San Andreas The buildings, freeways and Metro tunnels positioned above the fault Evidence that the fault may be moving faster than it did in the past The most famous earthquake threat to Los Angeles lies fifty miles away. This one lies directly underneath. Subscribe to Vanished Worlds for cinematic documentaries about earthquakes, volcanoes, hidden geological threats and the natural forces capable of changing our world. #PuenteHills #LosAngelesEarthquake #EarthquakeDocumentary