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> Kenneth Murphy, who directs FEMA’s Region X, the division responsible for Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska, says, “Our operating assumption is that everything west of Interstate 5 will be toast.” I remember when this article came out, my mom called me and said "you'll be okay, you're east of I-5, right?" "Yeah mom." About 6 blocks east. Plenty of cushion.
The last several years, every time I consider the idea of someday moving back to Portland, I always think of this "The Big One" article. (With my mixed luck, the PNW mega-shark-quake-nami is just waiting for me to move back, so that'd really be irresponsible of me.)
> Kenneth Murphy, who directs FEMA’s Region X, the division responsible for Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska, says, “Our operating assumption is that everything west of Interstate 5 will be toast.” I remember when this article came out, my mom called me and said "you'll be okay, you're east of I-5, right?" "Yeah mom." About 6 blocks east. Plenty of cushion.
City blocks, or Minecraft blocks? :D
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Ha… it’s not like the earthquake will stop at I-5 like it’s a magic shield. If the quake knocks out utilities and services everywhere west of the cascades, this I-5 ‘line’ is meaningless.
I believe they are referring to the tsunami that follows the earthquake, based on evidence from before the Europeans colonized the continent.
The remark is clearly only intended to give an impression of the magnitude of the worst-case scenario.
> Kenneth Murphy, who directs FEMA’s Region X, the division responsible for Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska, says, “Our operating assumption is that everything west of Interstate 5 will be toast.” I remember when this article came out, my mom called me and said "you'll be okay, you're east of I-5, right?" "Yeah mom." About 6 blocks east. Plenty of cushion.
Ha… it’s not like the earthquake will stop at I-5 like it’s a magic shield. If the quake knocks out utilities and services everywhere west of the cascades, this I-5 ‘line’ is meaningless.
The 300 year figure only applies to the southern Oregon and Northern California portion of the fault, and is based on turbidities and controversial.
Still, this is an under-appreciated risk of living in the northwest. There’s plenty of societies living in subduction zones across the planet. But few with as little awareness of their fault.
I remember talking to transplants to Seattle, I’d say there’s a 50/50 percent chance they were aware the region could produce earthquakes.
On the bright side: while we can never predict this for certain, it doesn’t appear there’s enough energy stored in the northern portion of the fault to produce a mega-thrust earthquake right now.
Don't get too comfortable if you're on the East Coast. Whatever survives sea level rise due to global heating, will be wiped out by the megatsunami caused by the ensuing landslide when La Palma erupts.
Isn't that theory from some total nutjob?