The Cascadia Subduction Zone
Most people are not prepared for earthquakes. The USA has not had many major earthquakes, and the top 8 largest magnitude earthquakes all happened in Alaska. On the west coast, there is a monster waiting to be released; the Cascadia Subduction Zone, capable of creating a magnitude 9.2 earthquake.While most people think of the San Andreas fault as causing "the big one" with a magnitude 8 earthquake, this is the real "big one".
This massive Earthquake, when combined with the tsunami it will create, will cause around 10 thousand deaths and wreck havoc mostly on the coastal Pacific Northwest. It doesn't look bad, as it only causes severe shaking on the coast and less sever shaking more inland, but it will cause shaking from Redding, CA all the way to Bellingham, WA. And don't forget the tsunami!
The map above doesn't even mention the concentrated shaking of the Seattle fault, which is much more violent around Seattle, with shaking reaching IX (below). These combined events are destined to make the pacific northwest a earthquake hazard, and it is. IX on the MMI can cause, according to USGS, "Damage considerable in specially designed structures; well-designed frame structures thrown out of plumb. Damage great in substantial buildings, with partial collapse. Buildings shifted off foundations." Of course, there is a small chance that the magnitude 9.2 Earthquake is going to happen anytime soon, but both are bound to happen. If you don't want to experience these quakes, you can just move to Florida. 
This massive Earthquake, when combined with the tsunami it will create, will cause around 10 thousand deaths and wreck havoc mostly on the coastal Pacific Northwest. It doesn't look bad, as it only causes severe shaking on the coast and less sever shaking more inland, but it will cause shaking from Redding, CA all the way to Bellingham, WA. And don't forget the tsunami!
The map above doesn't even mention the concentrated shaking of the Seattle fault, which is much more violent around Seattle, with shaking reaching IX (below). These combined events are destined to make the pacific northwest a earthquake hazard, and it is. IX on the MMI can cause, according to USGS, "Damage considerable in specially designed structures; well-designed frame structures thrown out of plumb. Damage great in substantial buildings, with partial collapse. Buildings shifted off foundations." Of course, there is a small chance that the magnitude 9.2 Earthquake is going to happen anytime soon, but both are bound to happen. If you don't want to experience these quakes, you can just move to Florida.
Great post. Floridans are going to be happy with you!
ReplyDeleteThat's what our DI thing was about- earthquakes. We mentioned the Cascadia Subduction Zone...
ReplyDeleteWow.
ReplyDelete