California Earthquake Tracker: Understanding the Impact of a Cascadia-Sized Quake

Imagine being in the midst of a devastating earthquake that shakes the very foundations of California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. The thought may seem daunting, but it's essential to understand the potential effects of such an event.

Let me transport you back to 1964 for a taste of what it might be like to be near ground zero of a Cascadia-sized earthquake. Longer periods can travel further, potentially causing damage in Redding, Sacramento, and San Francisco. The distance from the fault rupture modifies vibrations, filtering out high pitches as you move farther away.

The spectrum of vibrations is crucial in liquefaction, which affects structures like tall buildings and bridges. Shorter ruptures tend to affect single-family homes and mobile homes, but damage won't be uniform due to downed roads and bridges isolating communities from each other.

Frequency plays a significant role in earthquakes, and the upcoming Cascadia event will likely have strong vibrations causing damage throughout the affected area. This massive earthquake will directly impact the region from Southern Humboldt County to Vancouver Island, Canada, with effects felt as far as Nevada and Idaho.

As someone acknowledged as an 'earthquake expert,' I must admit that understanding the full extent of a Cascadia-sized quake is challenging. However, three key takeaways are essential: you will almost certainly survive, the impacted area will be enormous, and it will take years to reach a new post-disaster normal.

So, what can we do? Reducing risk isn't glamorous, but it's crucial. Ignoring the elephant in the room won't work; instead, let's focus on promoting action through effective messaging. My colleague Ana-Marie Jones conducted an exhaustive study on this topic and concluded that fear-based messaging is ineffective and counterproductive.

Fear may be a great way to sell newspapers or magazines, but it's a terrible motivator for preparedness action. In fact, a longtime friend recently told me, 'Lori, you are scaring me,' after reading my column. This isn't what I intend; instead, I hope to empower readers with knowledge and encourage them to take proactive steps towards disaster readiness.

By acknowledging the reality of this threat, we can work together to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Let's not ignore the elephant in the room; let's face it head-on and build a more resilient future for ourselves and our communities.

California earth quake tracker