The Microsoft Crowdstrike outage was enough to temporarily shut down the world. But what would happen if tech giants like Meta, Google and Apple faced disaster? Can Silicon Valley survive an earthquake along the San Andreas Fault?
Today, Silicon Valley serves as the Olympus for the world’s biggest tech giants, home to companies like Google, Apple, Meta, and others. These companies have become essential to maintaining the invisible systems that keep society running. But what happens when Silicon Valley is struck by a disaster that it has no control over?
Beneath Silicon Valley runs the San Andreas Fault, one of the most notorious earthquake zones on Earth. The fault line is known for producing a devastating earthquake every 100 to 150 years, and experts agree that we will soon see another major quake in this area.
Of course, residents have not been negligent in preparing for the earthquake. Engineering feats such as the United States Geological Survey’s Earthquake Early Warning System keep us informed of seismic movements along the fault line. Buildings are gradually being fitted with base isolators that act as shock absorbers and reduce the amount of seismic forces transmitted to the building during an earthquake.
But even these extensive measures may not be enough. Buildings may meet modern codes, but they are still likely to suffer significant damage in a magnitude 2 earthquake.
If the Microsoft Crowdstrike outage was enough to shut down airlines, healthcare, and other critical IT systems around the world, what would happen if a large-scale disaster struck Silicon Valley? Can Silicon Valley survive an earthquake along the San Andreas Fault?
