By Laurie Brenner
If you live in California, you know that earthquakes will happen, but what you may not know about is the sleeping giant that lies just off the West Coast near Washington and Oregon.
The Cascadia fault is almost twice as long as the fault in the Maule region of Chile, just off the Chilean coast. You may remember that it rattled for 3.0 minutes at an 8.8 magnitude in February of 2010 causing a lot of destruction. This earthquake created tsunamis and aftershocks that lasted for days. The area still experiences earthquakes and aftershocks nearly a year later.
The Chilean earthquake rattled more than the country and brought more than buildings down.
It rattled the minds of California's earthquake structural engineers when some of their newly-touted earthquake-proof buildings came tumbling down, some breaking right in half.
American engineers immediately showed up on scene to review the damage to ascertain the problems. The reason: Chilean earthquake buildings codes are similar to those of California. Those structures were not supposed to fail.
The Long Cascadia Fault
When the Cascadia fault rips, it will send shock waves and tsunamis in many directions -- the least of which will affect California severely, not to mention Oregon and Washington.
According to Alicia Chang, of the Associated Press in an article dated March of last year on MSN, the 680-long Cascadia fault is due for a "mega earthquake." It hasn't erupted in 300 years and the last time it did, it sent tsunamis as far as away as coastal villages in Japan. That's some mileage.
In her article she quotes Brian Atwater, a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey and University at Washington," the Pacific Northwest has a long geological history of doing exactly what happened in Chile. It's not a matter of if, but when the next one will happen."
The fear is that when the Cascadia fault goes off, it may last up to 5 minutes, with a magnitude of 9.0 or more.
Damage caused by earthquakes is not based solely on its magnitude, but its duration. The longer the quake lasts, the more stuff that comes tumbling down.
Prepare for an Earthquake
The only solution then is to prepare for an earthquake. While you cannot prevent one, you and your family can be one of those who are more than ready if such a thing happens. Having an emergency plan of action for any kind of disaster, much less an earthquake is not only sound thinking, but when disaster hits, family members know exactly what to do.
Steps to Prepare
Each family must take steps to prepare for an earthquake or any other kind of natural disaster. It is important to be self-sufficient, in case emergency personnel are unable to get to your location. As the flight attendant tells you as you wait for take-off "put on your own oxygen mask first, so that you can help others." A family earthquake plan does just that.
Here are some of the things you can do to prepare for an earthquake or any other natural disaster.
• Develop a disaster plan for the family
• Ensure a cache of food supplies for the family for at least 3 days, more if possible
• Keep an emergency medical kit and other emergency items handy, stored in a safe location
• Keep extra prescriptions, eye glasses and other needed items in the emergency supplies
• Make plans for pets
• Shut-off the gas immediately after an earthquake, don't light a match first
While this list is certainly not comprehensive, it gives you some ideas of what you need to do in order to prepare.
The Cascadia fault is almost twice as long as the fault in the Maule region of Chile, just off the Chilean coast. You may remember that it rattled for 3.0 minutes at an 8.8 magnitude in February of 2010 causing a lot of destruction. This earthquake created tsunamis and aftershocks that lasted for days. The area still experiences earthquakes and aftershocks nearly a year later.
The Chilean earthquake rattled more than the country and brought more than buildings down.
It rattled the minds of California's earthquake structural engineers when some of their newly-touted earthquake-proof buildings came tumbling down, some breaking right in half.
American engineers immediately showed up on scene to review the damage to ascertain the problems. The reason: Chilean earthquake buildings codes are similar to those of California. Those structures were not supposed to fail.
The Long Cascadia Fault
When the Cascadia fault rips, it will send shock waves and tsunamis in many directions -- the least of which will affect California severely, not to mention Oregon and Washington.
According to Alicia Chang, of the Associated Press in an article dated March of last year on MSN, the 680-long Cascadia fault is due for a "mega earthquake." It hasn't erupted in 300 years and the last time it did, it sent tsunamis as far as away as coastal villages in Japan. That's some mileage.
In her article she quotes Brian Atwater, a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey and University at Washington," the Pacific Northwest has a long geological history of doing exactly what happened in Chile. It's not a matter of if, but when the next one will happen."
The fear is that when the Cascadia fault goes off, it may last up to 5 minutes, with a magnitude of 9.0 or more.
Damage caused by earthquakes is not based solely on its magnitude, but its duration. The longer the quake lasts, the more stuff that comes tumbling down.
Prepare for an Earthquake
The only solution then is to prepare for an earthquake. While you cannot prevent one, you and your family can be one of those who are more than ready if such a thing happens. Having an emergency plan of action for any kind of disaster, much less an earthquake is not only sound thinking, but when disaster hits, family members know exactly what to do.
Steps to Prepare
Each family must take steps to prepare for an earthquake or any other kind of natural disaster. It is important to be self-sufficient, in case emergency personnel are unable to get to your location. As the flight attendant tells you as you wait for take-off "put on your own oxygen mask first, so that you can help others." A family earthquake plan does just that.
Here are some of the things you can do to prepare for an earthquake or any other natural disaster.
• Develop a disaster plan for the family
• Ensure a cache of food supplies for the family for at least 3 days, more if possible
• Keep an emergency medical kit and other emergency items handy, stored in a safe location
• Keep extra prescriptions, eye glasses and other needed items in the emergency supplies
• Make plans for pets
• Shut-off the gas immediately after an earthquake, don't light a match first
While this list is certainly not comprehensive, it gives you some ideas of what you need to do in order to prepare.
Download an earthquake preparedness manual for your family by visiting www.CaliforniaEarthquakesToday.com. It comes complete with checklists, government recommendations for food supplies, emergency goods and ideas on how to make your home more earthquake-secure.
It's too late once the earthquake happens, besides protecting your family, do you have insurance for that big screen television? There are ways to protect the valuables in your home. Learn how you can Prepare for an Earthquake today.
It's too late once the earthquake happens, besides protecting your family, do you have insurance for that big screen television? There are ways to protect the valuables in your home. Learn how you can Prepare for an Earthquake today.
