On the morning of September 5th, seismologists detected an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 on the Oregon Coast. This earthquake is among several that have been hitting the Pacific Northwest coast. So far these earthquakes have been harmless and haven’t caused any tsunamis, but many wonder if these earthquakes are a sign that a larger Cascadia earthquake is coming.
According to Sheila Alfsen, a geology professor at Portland State University, while smaller earthquakes can trigger larger ones, that is not often the case. However, Alfsen and many other scientists believe that a larger Cascadian earthquake is coming. The Cascadia Subduction zone has caused an earthquake around every 300-500 years and the last earthquake was in 1700.
When asked if a Cascadian earthquake was a realistic threat, Alfsen said “Yes, absolutely! It is not an ‘if’, it is a ‘when’.”
A Cascadian earthquake would be extremely destructive to the Oregon coast. According to a study from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 is likely to take place within the next 30 years, It would be the same magnitude of the devastating Japan earthquake that struck in 2011, which released a large tsunami and resulted in more than 18,000 deaths.
In the event of an earthquake, the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network recommends having a plan with your family. They also recommend to drop, cover, and hold on to your head to protect it from falling objects. if an earthquake strikes. They also recommend having two weeks’ worth of food, water, and other necessities per person in the house at all times.
