A new study conducted by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California has predicted the next earthquake to hit the southern section of the San Andreas Fault, nearest to Los Angeles, will be a giant.

Earthquakes similar in size to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake have not occurred along the southern section for more than 300 years, and Associate Professor Yuri Fialko says the fault has been stressed to a level to produce the next “big one” – seven on the Richter scale.

“For the public, the most important result of this study is that this data shows definitively that the fault is a significant seismic hazard and is primed for another big earthquake,” Mr Fialko said.

Data collected through the research suggests the fault is ready for another earthquake, but there is no way to predict when the next big one will be triggered.