The tsunami waves from the expected earthquake off the west coast reach 100 feet, flooding the coast forever.
A strong earthquake hits Japan’s islands
The island in southwestern Kyushu experienced a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, officials say.
Pressure continues to be built beneath the Earth’s surface off the coast of the Pacific Northwest, with multi-layered disasters posing at any time.
Large earthquakes are brewed along the subduction zone of Cascadia, which can destroy bridges, reconstruct the landscape and cause large tsunamis. Scientists have known for years about the looming danger, but ongoing research continues to draw clearer pictures of what will happen.
In danger: a huge tsunami that flushes out the bone area and floods permanently.
The earthquake said Tina Dura, a natural disaster geologist and professor at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Recent research focuses on how climate change increases the impact of earthquakes on sudden sinking coastal areas.
Researchers hope that the earthquake will cause a 6-foot drop in some inland areas. A large tsunami then inundates those areas.
“Imagine if we lost a big chunk of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and after all the horrifying things that happened, and it didn’t come back,” said Diego Melger, professor at the University of Oregon and director of the Cascadia Regional Earthquake Science Center.
The loss of the land strip is just one of a surreal series of events that occur when an earthquake is ultimately hit, researchers say.
When will the next big Cascadia subduction zone earthquake occur?
This is a mix of bad news. Earthquakes are certain, but they could be hundreds of years apart.
Seismicologists estimate that there is a 15% chance of magnitude 8 over the next 50 years, although it can happen anytime. This is a major risk in a catastrophic scenario.
Part of their confidence comes from the region’s huge earthquake history.
“It could be tomorrow or decades later, but geologically speaking, we are within the window of possibilities,” Dura said. “The last event was in 1700, and paleothermic records show that these earthquakes recur around every 200-800 years. By 2100 there is a 30% chance of a major earthquake occurring.”
Cascadia subduction zone earthquake
Scientists clearly portray what happens when an earthquake occurs.
“There’s a very strong shaking first. It’s shaking, making it difficult to stand and walk. This will probably last for more than a minute,” Melger said.
Second, the coastal land will likely fall to as much as 6.5 feet within minutes.
“Then you’re probably going to have a 30-40 minute peace, but with a tsunami coming, that’s a false impression,” he said.
The resulting wave lies in the order of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which killed more than 50,000 people.
A tsunami wave from an earthquake of this size could turn 90 or 100 feet tall, Melger said.
Tsunami troubles
When the tsunami arrives at the coast, “You get this massive surge that lasts for hours, sometimes days,” Melger said.
This is where global warming begins. Two things play a role in creating the catastrophe that their research explains.
First, the land would have been reduced by six feet. At the same time, it means that sea levels will rise from climate change. This means that the water running over covers more land.
“I hope that the tsunami will come to the coast and run off again and the land will dry out. But there is now a section below the surface of the sea. The water will not return,” Melger said.
A massive Cascadia earthquake could immediately increase flood zones and double flood exposures for residents, structures, and roads. When combined with sea level rise, these effects could make some coastal communities permanently uninhabited, Dura said.
Even if some areas along the coastline are dry, they are far closer to sea level and are susceptible to annoying flooding, especially when there are large storms and high tides.
Small earthquakes do not interfere with large earthquakes
The West Coast has always been subject to numerous small earthquakes, but it is not large enough to relieve the pressure that is building up along the Cascadia fault line, Melger said.
Even magnitude 8 earthquakes do not mitigate it because there is a lot of energy stored within the zone.
“Remember, the magnitude scale is logarithmic. So each increase in magnitude is an increase of 30 in terms of energy,” he said.
The great San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was devastating, with a magnitude of 8. “If there was one magnitude 8 earthquake here, we would still have a 29 to go to ease the pressure,” he said.
