Is there an imminent giant earthquake threat in 2012? If so, where is it coming from, and why should we be worried?

A year after the mega-quake that hit Japan and caused a deadly tsunami, sending giant waves crashing into the Japanese islands and tidal surges worldwide, the people living near the Pacific Ring of Fire were reminded of the absolute strength of Mother Nature.

Giant Earthquake Threat in 2012? How Bad Could It Get?

Recent earthquakes in Asia, like the 2005 megaquake off of Banda Aceh, Indonesia, and the 2011 quake off of Japan, have scientists focused on the region, hoping to understand, and predict the next big quake. Understanding quakes is not a matter of if, but a matter of when the next big one will occur.

On the northwestern tip of the Ring of Fire, lies the Cascadia subduction zone. The fault line runs parallel from Vancouver Island down to northern California. The threat comes from the potential megathrust shift that could generate a tsunami as large, if not larger, than the Tohoku earthquake in Japan. 

The location of the subduction zone offers up a recipe for disaster. A shift in the thrust would send a wave hurling towards Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, and San Francisco at speeds up to several hundred miles per hour, eventually slowing as it reaches shallow water, with a surge large enough to flood the entire region several miles inland.

Scientists have evidence that the Pacific northwest has been hammered by large earthquakes over the last 3500 years with intervals between 200-900 year, with most of these mega quakes hitting at 300 year intervals. Evidence in places like the “Ghost Forest,” on the Copalis river located on the Washington coastline, give insight into what one of these megathrust earthquakes can do. Scientists estimate that quake occurred around 3 centuries ago.

With the recent seismic activity occurring in the Ring of Fire, as far south as Chile, and most recently in Japan, scientists are concerned over how soon it will be until the shift in the earth’s crust will take place. As recent as January 17th, a 4.3 magnitude earthquake was recorded off of Cascadia. Many theorists have even gone so far as to speculate that the giant earthquake threat in 2012 might not be as far-fetched as believed.

 How ready is the Pacific Northwest for a Giant Earthquake Threat in 2012?

Scientists estimate that an earthquake equivalent to 7.8 would give coastal residents between 20 minutes to an hour to respond to the quake, and “head for the hills,” literally. When the sirens begin to sound, residents will need to evacuate and escape immediately. The minutes following the earthquake will prove to be the difference between life and death.

If the megaquake thrust occurs at 9.0 or higher, some scientists suggest the window to react will be even smaller. To prepare for the giant earthquake threat in 2012, residents of the Pacific northwest need to have a plan in place that all family members are aware of.

Giant Earthquake Threat in 2012? Why Cascadia Scares North American Scientists.

 

Featured image courtesy of USGS

Giant Earthquake Threat in 2012? Why Cascadia Scares North American Scientists.