Welcome to the nerve center of seismic suspense, where the ground beneath our feet quivers with anticipation and dread. In the shadow of the San Andreas Fault,Californians have long danced with danger, but a far more ominous threat looms just beyond the horizon – the Cascadia Subduction Zone.
Picture a sprawling expanse of coastline stretching from northern California to southern British Columbia, a picturesque facade masking the volatile underbelly of the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate. Here, the stage is set for a cataclysmic showdown, where the forces of nature conspire to unleash a megaquake of unprecedented magnitude.
Close your eyes and envision the chaos that awaits when the earth convulses with unfathomable power, unleashing a tsunami of biblical proportions. With FEMA’s ominous preparations for an imminent 8.0 to 9.2 magnitude earthquake, the countdown to catastrophe has begun in earnest.
In the face of such an existential threat, every second counts. From the shores of California to the forests of Oregon and the fjords of Washington, communities teeter on the brink of disaster, their fate hanging in the balance. Yet, amidst the chaos, there is a glimmer of hope – a chance to prepare, to fortify our defenses, and to stand united against the tempest that awaits.
As the dust settles and the waters recede, the true toll of this cataclysm will become painfully clear. With projections of over 13,000 lives lost in the wake of the Pacific megaquake, the scale of human suffering defies comprehension. Families torn asunder, communities shattered, and a region left reeling in the aftermath of nature’s wrath.
In the face of such overwhelming odds, FEMA has mobilized its resources with unprecedented urgency. Portable disaster morgues stand ready, poised to bear witness to the unthinkable carnage that lies ahead. Yet, even as the specter of disaster looms large, there is still time to act – to heed the warnings, to bolster our infrastructure, and to ensure that when the earth trembles, we stand firm in our resolve.
A new report predicts that a mega-earthquake could kill an estimated 13,000 people and destroy a sizable portion of the Pacific Northwest.
Even more disturbing? It’s overdue.
FEMA calculations show these types of earthquakes happen at regular intervals in this specific part of the world, roughly every 240 years.
The last one was more than 300 years ago, in 1700, when a quake there sent a 600-foot wave of water all the way to Japan.
Kaku said Hollywood has “brainwashed” people into thinking that California is where the next massive earthquake will hit.
He added that before the mega-quake actually hits, there is a compression wave that is detected by animals.
“Animals start to act very strange. We’ve seen that happen before earthquakes,” Kaku said. “And then, a minute, two minutes later, boom!”
The massive quake, with a magnitude of up to 9.2, would last about four minutes, according to seismologists, with a wall of water following about 15 minutes later.
The last time the region faced a ‘Big One’ was in 1906 when San Andres unleashed an earthquake that killed roughly 3,000 people.
This summer’s drill, dubbed Cascadia Rising, will test to see how local and state emergency responders, Fema, and a number of military groups work together.
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