Latest news with #PacificNorthwestSeismicNetwork
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
New study warns part of WA coast could sink several feet during major offshore earthquake
A new study warns parts of the Pacific Coast, including Western Washington, could sink several feet during a major offshore earthquake. The impact could dramatically alter shorelines and drastically expand flood zones. The study was published this week in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The risk of a megaquake in the Cascadia Subduction Zone is nothing new, but researchers are shining new light on the impact it could have. Communities most at risk for seeing land sink in Washington include areas around Willapa Bay, like Long Beach, Tokeland, Ocean Park, and Raymond, as well as areas in Grays Harbor, like Ocean Shores, Westport, and Aberdeen. 'At the moment of the earthquake, the ground in many of those communities is going to go down by as much as two to four, five, six feet all of a sudden,' said Harold Tobin, Director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network. Sea levels are already rising gradually due to climate change, but this change would happen in minutes. The earthquake is expected to first trigger a tsunami. After that clears, researchers say the ground in these coastal areas could be permanently altered. It could change the shape of harbors, make coastal infrastructure unusable, and change the boundaries of land that is habitable. That change, researchers say, would dramatically expand the areas at risk for floods. If a great earthquake struck the Cascadia zone today, researchers predict it would double the flood exposure of residents, structures, and roads. If the earthquake hit in 2100, when sea levels have risen more from climate change, it could triple that flood exposure, according to the study. 'The 100-year-flood will become much more much more frequent,' Tobin said. Scott McDougall, Director of Pacific County Emergency Management, said planning for 'the big one' is constant. 'If the Cascadia Subduction Zone does rupture, it's going to be probably the most devastating event we've ever seen in the continental United States,' McDougall said. McDougall said a major priority for coastal communities now is building vertical evacuation zones, where people can escape flood waters or tsunamis. He said Pacific County currently has one such structure, but none have been completed on the Long Beach Peninsula. Officials had planned a vertical evacuation zone in Long Beach, but planned to utilize FEMA's BRIC funding to help build it. Then, the program was canceled abruptly earlier this month under the Trump administration. ,'We're kind of back at the drawing board right now,' he said. The Cascadia Subduction Zone last experienced a major earthquake in 1700. It swept away villages, triggered a major tsunami, and uprooted trees. On what is now Vancouver Island, USGS data shows only one of more than 600 people survived. Experts say the zone ruptures every few hundred years, and we're currently in the window where it could rupture tomorrow or decades down the line.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
3.9 magnitude earthquake strikes near Port Angeles, WA
The Brief A 3.9 magnitude earthquake struck 19 miles southeast of Port Angeles on Wednesday. The quake was reported around 4:18 p.m., and over 100 people reported feeling it. PORT ANGELES, Wash. - Another earthquake shook western Washington on Wednesday, with a nearly 4.0 magnitude quake reported south of Port Angeles. The 3.9 magnitude earthquake hit the Olympic National Park area around 4:18 p.m., according to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network. Specifically, the quake was about 19 miles southeast of Port Angeles. So far, over 100 people reported feeling the earthquake. The quake comes just days after a 4.5 magnitude earthquake near Friday Harbor, and a 3.2 magnitude quake in east King County. The Source Information in this story is from the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network and the U.S. Geological Survey. Gov. Ferguson details $4 billion in spending cuts to address WA deficit Parents petition to remove WA substitute principal after past admissions of drug use 'Oops I did a crime': WA high school teacher charged with child porn First WA measles case of 2025 confirmed in King County infant To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Is Seattle prepared for 'the big one?' Experts weigh in
The Brief After being hit with multiple recent earthquakes in the Puget Sound area, experts are weighing in on whether Seattle is prepared for a large-scale quake. According to Seattle city data, there are about 1,100 structures susceptible to earthquake damage. SEATTLE - The Puget Sound area saw multiple recent earthquakes, including a 4.5 magnitude quake that rocked the San Juans Monday morning. Just days earlier, a 3.2 magnitude earthquake shook east King County, and a 2.9 magnitude earthquake hit near Bremerton. The recent activity comes 24 years after the Nisqually quake, which injured hundreds and caused massive damage to the Seattle area. What they're saying The 6.8 magnitude earthquake remains the costliest in America over the last three decades, and while experts say things have changed for the better, there is still a lot of work to do. "We see more earthquakes than most places in the world," said Washington state seismologist Harold Tobin. Harold Tobin is the director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network at the University of Washington. "We've made a lot of progress, for one thing, the viaduct," Tobin said. He says we're lucky the viaduct didn't crumble two decades before, during the Nisqually quake. "It [the Viaduct] was replaced by the tunnel, and that's a massive improvement. There's also seismic retrofitting that's taking place," Tobin said. Unfortunately, that's not the case for every old building in the city. According to Seattle city data, there are about 1,100 structures susceptible to earthquake damage, including schools, apartments and offices. "While we build new buildings to increased seismic safety codes, we don't have a code that requires the repair of older buildings," Tobin said. Though the recent earthquakes are getting national attention, Tobin says what's happening is not uncommon. "They are a reminder that we live in a seismically active place, and there are earthquake hazards for us, unfortunately, here in the Puget Sound area," he said. However, Monday's earthquake near Friday Harbor was the largest in the area since 2019. It was also the first one in Washington to register on the MyShake app, which was created in 2021. That notified people as soon as an earthquake happens. Tobin said if you are in an earthquake, stay where you are and look for something that you can get under to protect your head and neck. Get low to the ground, drop, cover, and hold on, he added. Tobin also told FOX 13 Seattle if you are in an earthquake, do not run outside. He said a lot of injuries happen when people are outside of structures during earthquakes due to falling debris. The Source Information in this story is from the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, United States Geological Survey and FOX 13 Seattle reporting. Gov. Ferguson details $4 billion in spending cuts to address WA deficit Parents petition to remove WA substitute principal after past admissions of drug use 'Oops I did a crime': WA high school teacher charged with child porn First WA measles case of 2025 confirmed in King County infant 3.2 magnitude earthquake rocks east King County, WA To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
4.5 magnitude earthquake hits near Friday Harbor, WA
The Brief A 4.5 magnitude earthquake struck near Friday Harbor early Monday morning, with a depth of over 10 miles. Over 1,000 reports were received from Vancouver, B.C., to Kent, but no injuries or damage were reported. FRIDAY HARBOR, Wash. - Did you feel it? A reported 4.5 magnitude earthquake hit near Friday Harbor Monday morning. What we know According to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, the earthquake happened after 5 a.m. It was more than 10 miles east, northeast of Friday Harbor, about 18 miles west, southwest of Bellingham, and was more than 10 miles deep. The United States Geological Survey said they received more than 1,000 reports from north of Vancouver, B.C. to Kent before 5:30 p.m. No injuries or damage have been reported. This is a developing story, and will be updated. The Source Information from this report comes from the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network and United States Geological Survey. Gov. Ferguson details $4 billion in spending cuts to address WA deficit Parents petition to remove WA substitute principal after past admissions of drug use 'Oops I did a crime': WA high school teacher charged with child porn First WA measles case of 2025 confirmed in King County infant 3.2 magnitude earthquake rocks east King County, WA To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
4.5-magnitude quake hits in western Washington, seismologists say. ‘Shook us awake'
A 4.5-magnitude earthquake struck at 5:02 a.m. Monday, March 3, in western Washington, the the U.S. Geological Survey reported. The 10-mile deep quake hit about 6.2 miles from Orcas, according to the USGS. More than 6,800 people from as far away as Portland, Oregon, and Issaquah reported feeling the tremor to the agency. A tsunami warning was not issued following the quake, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 'This event seems to have been widely felt,' J. Renate Hartog, manager of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network and an affiliate associate professor with the Earth and Space Sciences Department at the University of Washington, told The Bellingham Herald. 'It was too small for the Wireless Emergency Alerts system (used for Amber Alerts), because that is meant for imminent threat and an magnitude 4.5 is too small to cause any real damage,' Hartog told the news outlet. 'Just got jolted awake by another strong earthquake in Victoria - Significant shaking that lasted for some time,' one person wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. 'WOAH. An earthquake woke me from my sleep on Vancouver Island. Sounded like a heavy cart rolling outside and shook us awake,' another person wrote. 'Biggest earthquake I've ever felt in James Bay, Victoria. Jumped into the space between bed and bookcase. Hands still shaking. Sitting with kids upstairs next to strong wooden table now,' someone else wrote. Orcas is an unincorporated community on Orcas Island in San Juan County, which is southwest of Bellingham. McClatchy News reporter Don Sweeney contributed to this report. Magnitude measures the energy released at the source of the earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey says. It replaces the old Richter scale. Quakes between 2.5 and 5.4 magnitude are often felt but rarely cause much damage, according to Michigan Tech. Quakes below 2.5 magnitude are seldom felt by most people. Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches. They can happen anywhere, but they're most common in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Puerto Rico and Washington, according to the Department of Homeland Security. If an earthquake strikes, it's best to protect yourself right away. Here are tips from experts: If you're in a car: Pull over and stop. Set your parking brake. If you're in bed: Turn face-down and cover your head with a pillow. If you're outdoors: Stay away from buildings. Don't go inside. If you're inside: Stay and don't run outdoors. Stay away from doorways. The best way to protect yourself during an earthquake is to drop, cover and hold on, officials say. 'Wherever you are, drop down to your hands and knees and hold onto something sturdy,' officials say. 'If you're using a wheelchair or walker with a seat, make sure your wheels are locked and remain seated until the shaking stops.' Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible. If no shelter is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows. Once under a table, officials say you should hold on with one hand and be ready to move with it. 'There can be serious hazards after an earthquake, such as damage to the building, leaking gas and water lines, or downed power lines,' officials say. 'Expect aftershocks to follow the main shock of an earthquake. Be ready to Drop, Cover, and Hold On if you feel an aftershock.' Volcano spews glowing lava up to 600 feet into the night sky in Hawaii. See it Earthquakes are rumbling under Alaska volcano, officials say. Is it about to erupt?
