The greatest hazard is in minimal-lying parts

where there are free, sandy soils or poorly compacted synthetic fill. A liquefied sand layer can shoot to the floor by way of cracks, forming a sand-blow, and depositing sand on the floor. This results in long term ground deformations these as lateral spreading and settlement, the two of which enhance the probability of injury to structures and infrastructure. Locations susceptible to liquefaction include things like, but not constrained to, the southern Coachella valley and the upper Santa Ana river basin in southern California San Francisco bay location, northwestern Alameda county, and northern Santa Clara valley in northern California as predicted by the USGS.