If you grew up in the Pacific Northwest like me, you heard all your life about the "Big One". The big earthquake magnitude 9.0 or greater that is headed to destroy everything in this beautiful area. To the experts, it's not a question of if, it's a definite when. This map shows the "hot spots", the most dangerous earthquake zones. Washington is ranked 5th with 424 earthquakes magnitude 3.5 or higher in the past 30 years (Alaska is #1 and California #2).
This next graphic illustrates the "Cascadia Subduction Zone". This zone runs 600 miles long from Northern California to British Columbia, 50 miles offshore under the Pacific Ocean. What's the difference between a subduction zone and a fault? That's what I said! The way I understand it, faults are tectonic plates butting up against each other whereas in a subduction zone one plate is pushed under the other. In this case it's the Juan de Fuca Plate being shoved under the North American Plate.
The Pacific NW Seismic Network claims that subduction zones "produce the largest earthquakes which can exceed magnitude 9.0. Subduction zone earthquakes, not only are there strong, long ground-shaking events, but multiple aftershocks and tsunamis."
There's also the infamous "Ring of Fire" to consider. The connection between Volcanic and Seismic activity in an arc stretching from New Zealand, along the eastern edge of Asia, north across the Aleutian Islands of Alaska and south along the cost of North and South America. This ring represents 75% of the worlds active and dormant volcanoes.
I remember vividly the Mount St. Helens Eruption back in 1980 but that's another story altogether.
I'm no scientist so I apologize if I'm confusing or omitting any facts, I was just trying to skim the surface of the hell storm that is "headed our way"
This is so incredibly frightening. In my brief search I can find dozens of experts that say the Seattle skyline could be wiped out by an earthquake that large. Truthfully, I have lived in fear of this "big one" my whole life! The older I get, the less it bothers me. I do have to admit that I often feel something and think to myself "oh god, is this it?" then I realize the cause a car or heavy equipment and feel silly.
This post was not meant to be frightening or dwell on negative thoughts. What can you do, live in fear? No, I believe you have to use that fear and turn it into a positive. I have enough food and water stored to feed my family of 5 for an extended period of time. It's hard to say if I'll be able to access the food if my house crumbles to the ground. Alas, I can worry all day but I'm glad I've made some preparations. Have you?
My thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Christchurch and all the nations that are recovering from the devastating effects of these earthquakes.
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