Earthquake risk, July 22

Oregon is one of 16 states considered at the highest risk of experiencing a significant earthquake within the next 50 years.  That’s not a surprise to those who live in the Beaver State and are being reminded on a regular basis that the next “Big One” could occur any day.  That’s based on scientific evidence that showed a massive 9.0-magnitude quake shook the Pacific Ocean seafloor on January 26, 1700 and caused a great deal of damage in the Pacific Northwest.  The scientists say a quake of that size occurs about every 300 years.  What’s new about the latest warning is a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that suggest 42 states actually have a reasonable chance of experiencing a damaging earthquake over the next five decades.  Eight states, mostly in the Midwest, do not have significant hazard levels.   Chris Goldfinger, a professor of geology and geophysics at Oregon State University says the maps produced by the USGS are updated regularly and released every six years.  The biggest changes in the maps this year are along the West Coast.  Geologists are focusing on the Cascadia Subduction Zone in the Pacific Ocean.  It runs parallel with the Oregon Coast and is the location of the 9.0 earthquake.  Goldfinger says raising awareness is the key.