The Earthquake That Will Devastate the Northwest

[Stray]

This is a fantastic, terrifying read.

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...d-most-popular

[Boston Red]

Interesting stuff. I've been to Vancouver, but I really need to check out more of the Pacific Northwest before it ceases to exist.

[westofyou]

I survived Loma Prieta, I'll make it through this one

[Brutus]

There's a fine line between educating and fear-mongering. This article, though insightful, borders a little too much on the latter rather than the former.

By the author's own admission, the 'big one' is statistically a heck of a lot more likely than the 'really big one,' but still spends most of the article acting like it's the 'really big one' that we should expect to see hit the Pacific Northwest.

I'll admit I'm already a little disgruntled simply because the mass media, even weather folks, have become too hyperbolic and sensational in simple weather coverage; however, this feels a little too much like that.

The odds are the next one won't be anything like what the author just described.

[membengal]

I survived Loma Prieta, I'll make it through this one

Did you read the article? Different kinds of quakes (not saying you won't survive a hypothetical big one - just still getting my head around the difference between the types of faults and the impact of resulting quakes). Helluva an article.

[westofyou]

Did you read the article? Different kinds of quakes (not saying you won't survive a hypothetical big one - just still getting my head around the difference between the types of faults and the impact of resulting quakes). Helluva an article.

Yes, and it is crazy scary and also a giant crapshoot. My point is you can't worry about it on the individual level and yes it will cause deaths though the population on the coast from Seattle to San Francisco is very small in comparison to metropolitan areas. The land full areas with housing will experience more issues then the coastal regions initially, the coastal regions will be affected long term, so yes routes out and not building in bad areas areas should be considered.

I guess my point is this is part of the earths life and it's bigger than us, thus I can't wring my hands over it, and having already survived a pretty violent one in the epicenter I can only hope that it doesn't play out in the worst case scenario.

[Screwball]

Fascinating article. Thanks for posting.

[Kingspoint]

There's a fine line between educating and fear-mongering. This article, though insightful, borders a little too much on the latter rather than the former.

By the author's own admission, the 'big one' is statistically a heck of a lot more likely than the 'really big one,' but still spends most of the article acting like it's the 'really big one' that we should expect to see hit the Pacific Northwest.

I'll admit I'm already a little disgruntled simply because the mass media, even weather folks, have become too hyperbolic and sensational in simple weather coverage; however, this feels a little too much like that.

The odds are the next one won't be anything like what the author just described.

The media have been fear-mongering the Northwest for about the last 15 years. Most have bought in, hook, line and sinker. It's hilarious.

[membengal]

Yes, and it is crazy scary and also a giant crapshoot. My point is you can't worry about it on the individual level and yes it will cause deaths though the population on the coast from Seattle to San Francisco is very small in comparison to metropolitan areas. The land full areas with housing will experience more issues then the coastal regions initially, the coastal regions will be affected long term, so yes routes out and not building in bad areas areas should be considered.

I guess my point is this is part of the earths life and it's bigger than us, thus I can't wring my hands over it, and having already survived a pretty violent one in the epicenter I can only hope that it doesn't play out in the worst case scenario.

Sure, no reason to live any other way. I am a trillion times (number approximate) more likely to catch a bullet walking to my car in Baltimore after work than that fault snapping soon in the 9.0 range. Still, a fascinating article from a science and sleuthing standpoint, and from a public policy standpoint.

[westofyou]

Sure, no reason to live any other way. I am a trillion times (number approximate) more likely to catch a bullet walking to my car in Baltimore after work than that fault snapping soon in the 9.0 range. Still, a fascinating article from a science and sleuthing standpoint, and from a public policy standpoint.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_845818.html

"High dwellings are the peace and harmony of our descendants," the stone slab reads. "Remember the calamity of the great tsunamis. Do not build any homes below this point."






http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_845818.html

[membengal]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_845818.html

"High dwellings are the peace and harmony of our descendants," the stone slab reads. "Remember the calamity of the great tsunamis. Do not build any homes below this point."






http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_845818.html

Thanks - had forgotten reading about those after the 2011 tsunami.

Ties in with the interesting part of the article- the discovery of the fault and the 1700 quake which finally provided the genesis for the "orphan" tsunami recorded by the Japanese - one which they of course felt no shaking since it originated off the pacific northwest. Fascinating stuff.

[KronoRed]

No Goldfinger jokes? disappointing

[RFS62]

Massive earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis have occurred since the dawn of time on a pretty regular basis. The difference now is that there are many more people in their way than ever before.

The coastlines of the Americas are packed with people now.

Superstorm Sandy wasn't even a hurricane. But it hit one of the most heavily populated areas in the world. That put it at number 2, behind Katrina, as the costliest disaster in US history (excluding droughts).

[oneupper]

Us "East Coaster" have Cumbre Vieja to worry about.

[Chip R]

Massive earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis have occurred since the dawn of time on a pretty regular basis.

And you've been there for all of them.