The Cascadia Subduction Zone, located in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and southwestern British Columbia, has hosted magnitude ≥8.0 megathrust earthquakes in the geologic past, a future earthquake is imminent, and the potential impacts could cripple the region. be felt along the coast line with the strength and intensity decreasing the Hazards and Preparedness
Data sources: USGS/NOAA OCS, Ocean Exploration Trust, NCEI. Map of the Cascadia Subduction Zone The Cascadia Subduction Zone off the coast of North America spans from northern California to southern British Columbia. Modeled tsunami inundation from a Cascadia subduction zone earthquake: Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources Open File Report 2005-1, 1 sheet, scale 1:62,500. The land and continental shelf are shown in grayscale slope shading where darker colors represent steeper slopes. In April, DNR released suggested tsunami evacuation routes for areas in Bellingham. It is part of the Earth’s famous “Ring of Fire,” created by subduction zone processes as Earth’s tectonic plates collide and move past each other.
Here is a map of the Cascadia subduction zone, modified from Nelson et al. The displacement and motion associated with these activities also generate tsunamis and landslides that can substantially alter the landscape, threaten human lives, and destroy infrastructure. Much of the evidence of this activity is in the sediments and structures that can be observed through marine geologic mapping in the offshore areas.The geologic research and mapping in the offshore areas is foundational to understanding how to manage resources and improve public safety in subduction zone areas. There have been 41 earthquakes in the last 10,000 years within this fault that have occurred as few as … What is most surprising is that By studying the geological records and the flow of “But we didn’t know to what extent and magnitude.”While this is a worst-case scenario, the study predicts wave heights of a potential tsunami will average “less than 10 feet for most areas.” Within Whatcom County, 12 feet is the wave height used for planning purposes, according to a press release from the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office in response to the study.Sign up for one of our many newsletters to be the first to know when big news breaksThe modeling, which did not include updates for other coastal areas in northern Whatcom County, has already been sent to city, county and tribal governments to help with emergency planning, Smillie said.“The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office considers the protection of the citizens of Whatcom County paramount,” Sheriff Bill Elfo said in his office’s release.
The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) “...
Geological Survey subduction zone science plan: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1428, 45 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/cir1428. The Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) is a 1,000 km (620 mi) long dipping fault that stretches from Northern Vancouver Island to Cape Mendocino in northern California. Between 2018 and 2019, the USGS, NOAA and BOEM have worked together to conduct a wide range of new data to address marine geohazards, including new multibeam bathymetry, Chirp subbottom and Sparker multichannel seismic surveys, and seafloor sediment samples. The geologic research in the offshore areas is focused along major themes of understanding earthquake recurrence by looking at sedimentary records, looking for evidence of recent seafloor deformation and features that could generate tsunamis, and looking at deep marine seeps and fluids that may support unique ecosystems. “Priority one for planning is the safety of Whatcom County citizens and visitors.”Washington State Department of Agriculture efforts have lead to the first Asian giant hornet being trapped in a bottle trap. The CSZ has a history of producing large earthquakes and will produce 8.5M earthquakes or larger in the future. TSUNAMI INUNDATION MAP FOR EMERGENCY PLANNING 0.5 0.25 0 0.5 1 Miles SCALE 1:24,000 1,000 500 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 Feet 0.5 0.25 0 0.5 1 Kilometers Initial tsunami modeling was performed by the University of Southern California (USC) Tsunami Research Center funded through the California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA) by the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation … Japanese historic Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. the potential for a 9.0+ magnitude earthquake caused by the Cascadia Subduction Take action now by actively planning and preparing
support to the timing of this last event. This map, released by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, shows the potential tsunami current velocity of the Bellingham area following a Cascadia subduction zone … The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a 600-mile fault that runs from northern California up to British Columbia and is about 70-100 miles off the Pacific coast shoreline. to northern California. Map credit: Jenna Hill, USGS.The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) serves the Nation by providing reliable scientific information and tools to build resilience in communities exposed to subduction zone earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, and volcanic eruptions.