Predicted Quake Could Rate 9 On Scale

Canada.com ^ | 8-12-2003

[blam]

Predicted quake could rate 9 on scale

canada.com

Tuesday, August 12, 2003

Researchers at Columbia University say the West Coast could soon be facing its worst earthquake in centuries.

New research focusing on the coastal waters off Vancouver show that the area where the Juan de Fuca and North America plates overlap is almost twice the size that they thought.

Columbia's Earthquake Institute says the original estimate for the zone where the tectonic plates interlock, called Northern Cascadia, was 56 kilometres. The area is now believed to be 90 kilometres.

The known width of the zone now extends farther towards the mainland, creating an additional hazard for coastal communities.

The greater the overlap, the more friction is built up, resulting in a more powerful earthquake.

Researchers say that this locked zone could create so much energy when it finally releases that it could cause one of the largest earthquakes in history.

In fact, they say it would release 1,000 times the energy of the 2001 Seattle earthquake, which shattered windows, caused skyscrapers to sway and rattled buildings up to 350 kilometres away. The damage caused by that quake cost several billion dollars.

The Seattle quake registered only a 6.8 on the Richter Scale. Researchers say the predicted Cascadia earthquake would measure at least 9 on the Richter Scale.

If the quake is as powerful as the researchers believe, it would be the worst in the region since 1700.

[blam]

Article compliments of FReeper 'Domestic Church.'

[SamAdams76]

A 9 on the Richter scale could do some damage.

[onedoug]

One might forecast, but as the late Charles Richter (of magnitude scale fame) once remarked: "The only people who predict earthquakes are idiots and liars."

[SolutionsOnly]

National Geographic did a story several years ago regarding evidence of catastophic earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest - far worse that any of those seen in recent history, so this is not really 'new' news, just more supporting evidence.

[Blood of Tyrants]

The Richter scale is logrithmic in nature. That means that a 7.8 is TEN times as strong as a 6.8 and an 8.8 is ONE HUNDRED times more powerful than a 6.8. That means that a 9 would be on the magnitude of THREE HUNDRED TIMES more powerful than the 2001 earthquake.

When this happens, there won't be much of Seattle left.

[spokeshave]

As long as its after October 7

[trebb]

Wonder if Patrick Swayze is waxing the old surfboard...

[SolutionsOnly]

***"Hey maybe the LORD had enough of this Ah-nold (gay rights, same sex mariage, affirmative action, gun control, gay rights) sh** from the Knee Pad Republicans and is trying to send a message"***

Or maybe there's just a lot of pressure building up on the fault lines....

[RightWhale]

The '64 Anchorage quake of was 9.3 The ground shook for 4 minutes in Fairbanks.

[rintense]

As long as it isn't when I'm on vacation in SF!

[anniegetyourgun]

Ping-a-ling.

[lilylangtree]

Watch Mount Rainier!

[mhking]

Date?

[Consort]

[SamAdams76]

Damn, why couldn't the earthquake have happened BEFORE Starbucks coffee spread all over the country like a bad virus?

[A CA Guy]

This could be potentially as bad as Canada's sliding into the deep end of the economic ocean due to socialism.

[PoorMuttly]

...as learned in NYC...wise to ALWAYS carry good, re-suppliable handgun, knife and flashlight in potentially "unstable" zones. If you survive the problem...your challenges may be just beginning. (Muttly pack gasmask and magnesium firestarter block too..he is a "good Scout" and intends to be around a long, long time).

[Eala]

When this happens, there won't be much of Seattle left.

Nope. But let's look on the bright side. The areas likely to suffer the greatest destruction have the highest concentration of liberals. We might get a Republican governor again.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Ouch, That would certainly leave a mark...