A GEOLOGIST has warned a devastating earthquake and tsunami could hit the United States, potentially threatening millions of lives, within the next 48 hours. Jim Berkland, a former US Geological Survey scientist, who once famously predicted the Loma Prieta quake, said mega quakes usually strike at a new moon or full moon because of the gravitation effect on the Earth…and the next full moon is on FRIDAY. The maverick, now retired, scientist spoke out after eight powerful earthquakes struck across south Asia and the pacific in the past 80 hours, claiming hundreds of lives in Japan and Ecuador. Mr Berkland predicted on October 13, 1989, an earthquake of magnitude 3.5 to 6.0 would strike San Francisco within the next week. Four days later on October 17 a magnitude 6.9 quake hit Loma Prieta in northern California. He now says 20 of the world's last 25 mega quakes have happened during new or full moons. He is most concerned about the the San Andreas Fault through California and the Cascadia