The earthquake caused a tsunami that struck the coast of Japan, and may also be linked to the Bonneville slide.
Evidence of the earthquake
Evidence supporting the occurrence of the 1700 earthquake has been gathered into the 2005 book The Orphan Tsunami of 1700, by geologist Brian Atwater and others.
The evidence suggests that it took place at about 9:00 PM on January 26, 1700 (NS). Although there were no written records in the region at the time, the earthquake's precise time is nevertheless known from Japanese records of a tsunami that has not been tied to any other Pacific Rim earthquake. The most important clue linking the tsunami in Japan and the earthquake in the Pacific Northwest comes from studies of tree rings (dendrochronology) which show that red cedar trees killed by lowering of coastal forests into the tidal zone by the earthquake have outermost growth rings that formed in 1699, the last growing season before the tsunami. Oral traditions describing a large quake also exist among the region's inhabitants, although these do not specify the date.
This is a pro/con event. Pro-will, hopefully eliminate a lot of liberals.
Con-we will waste jillions of dollars rebuilding those liberal meccas.
Normally, I’d dismiss this as alarmist... except that the Pacific rim has been oddly active within the past month.
Dang! This is the downside of the Pacific Northwest. It is probably (in my opinion atleast) the single MOST beautiful part of the North American continent.
It is also the deadliest. Active volcanoes, active earthquake zone and nearest to the Chicoms
Have thought of moving there many times. Probably still will. I can only hope that it is not a decision I regret
We live with that knowledge every day here in the Seattle area. We may not get as many moderate or larger quakes than California, but we have had some mega-quakes in the past long before we had cities, and highways. What has happened before will happen again.
I think a 9.0 EQ of three to five minute duration will hit the Seattle area and destroy the city any time now. It’s over due and I am so glad not be living there any more.
Both volcanic activity and seismic activity seem to be on the increase lately.
The mid Mississippi River Valley from Memphis to St Louis is due for a major earthquake along the New Madrid fault.
Many of the buildings in both metro areas are not even close to earthquake standards in both SF or LA.
Mega-thrust earthquakes are the most powerful and create large tsunamis.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megathrust_earthquake
“has shattered Chile” should read has shattered souther coastal Chile. Santiago, while rocked stood up well with the exception of a couple of highway bridges and some sub-standard buildings. Almost all of the new construction (last 25 years) took the shock very well. The highway bridges that fell were built with the flawed California model based on a Spanish design and against the advise of MANY engineers.
Wow, did the AP really stop the presses to tell us that places bordering the Pacific Ring of Fire are in danger of having an earthquake?
Found this article from www.iceagenow.com with an interesting thesis.
http://www.iceagenow.com/Chile_Quake_Shoved_Islands_Upward.htm
Chile Quake Shoved Islands Upward,
Shifted Earth’s Axis, Shortened Day
Rising islands: I expect the pace to increase
His thesis is as the Earth’s magnetic field decreases in strength the number of EQs increases. Knowing how low the Earth’s magnetic field is now (and is projected to reach near zero by 2015) I would expect the PacNW to get hammered with a major 9.0+ quake that will probably last for about 5 minutes.
I live in Alaska and I actually feel safer here(inland)than anywhere else in America. I feel earthquakes every day, some are in the range that in other places of the country make big news but up here its just another day, its pressure being released the way I see it.
Also the geography under where I live is basically rock and gravel, no silt like in other areas that did liquefy like around Turnagin Arm in 1964.
I think the next main event will be around the Cascadia fault, and if I were to consider being in that area around Seattle or Vancouver I would be absolutely prepared to be 100% sufficient, safe retreat to an earthquake proof place like a converted connex container, solar power, water storage and filtration, communication equipment, off road vehicles like a dirt bike or a quad and of course defensive equipment to protect everything.