Pacific Subduction Zone

This isn't a global warming issue, but something with possibly greater destruction of the Pacific Northwest if it were to occur in this century.  With regard to global warming, the Pacific Northwest is far better protected from its consequences than most other parts of the world, except for the loss of all the sea life we've been accustomed to consuming, shrimp, oysters, and salmon, lost to ocean acidification.  Of course global warming might mean huge migration to here from other parts of North America creating a very bad situation, but otherwise we might be ok for quite awhile.

However, as the New Yorker pointed out, we are vulnerable to a truly gigantic earthquake generated along the Pacific Subduction Zone, which they descriptively call "The Really Big One" "destroying a sizeable portion of the Pacific Northwest". 

Check out the article, it's a bit sobering.  But what I will be doing as part of the Diary, is report on earthquakes occurring along the Subduction Zone.  I believe that as long as there is a nice 5.0 or so every month we should be ok.  Let that Pacific Plate push down below the continental plate gradually, a 5.0 at a time.  If we go for some time, a year or so without one, I think we will need to start worrying, at least those of us living west of I5. 

Since I've been following them there've been six quakes on the Subduction zone since March 25th:

  • 3-25    4.9 earthquake 151km SSW of Port Hardy, Canada
  • 4-10    4.8 earthquake 163km W of Ferndale, California
  • 4-23    5.5 earthquake 253km W of Ferndale, California
  • 4-24    6.1 earthquake 187km WSW of Bella Bella, Canada
  • 6-1      5.5 earthquake Off the coast of Oregon
  • 7-29    4.8 earthquake 183km W of Port Hardy, Canada
The last one yesterday.  I'll keep you posted as they happen.

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