Fault Line off West Coast Could Trigger Catastrophic 9-Magnitude ‘Megaquake’ in the Next 50 Years

These new and much bigger earthquakes are likely to rock the region due to an underwater fault line along the coast.

This massive earthquake could shake for nearly 5 minutes, generate tsunami waves up to 80 feet tall, and damage over half a million buildings.

Their findings suggest that the fault line is unique compared to most others, as it splits into four segments.

However, the Cascadia Subduction Zone has four segments, which pose a potentially high risk to people on the West Coast, as it could generate incredible pressure when the plates slide under each other.

The quake, which was somewhere between a 8.7 and 9.2 magnitude, affected what is now northern California, Washington, and Oregon, as well as parts of Canada.

Although there were no written records of the megaquake from the indigenous population living in what is now the western United States, there are records in Japan that have helped researchers understand what happened that day.

Which, of course, is extremely concerning as thousands of homes, roads, and businesses have since been built directly along the US coastline.

With this information in mind, scientists understand that the internal pressure in the Cascadia Subduction Zone has been slowly building for more than 300 years and are trying desperately to find out exactly when it will cause another giant quake.

They believe that this massive earthquake would cause five to seven minutes of shaking, a tsunami with waves up to 100 feet tall, and the complete devastation of the North American western coastline.

The Great  1906 San Francisco Earthquake and the Fort Tejon Earthquake – each of which led to the tragic deaths of thousands of people.

The violent shock waves of the earthquake lasted nearly 60 seconds and could be felt from southern Oregon to south of Los Angeles.

The 7.9 magnitude earthquake caused the ground to crack. On the extreme northern end of the rupture zone, the surface crack extended 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Cholame into San Benito County.

In fact, there are only about two dozen earthquakes in recorded history that have surpassed an 8.0 magnitude

An estimated 5,700 people died during the 10-minute-long quake and subsequent tsunami.

Scientists are now concerned that something similar could occur along the western coastal states of the US.

This information has led Oregon and Washington to prepare disaster emergency plans to protect residents from the threat. Their preparations include educating residents and ensuring everyone is “two weeks ready.”

It may surprise people to learn that one of the biggest threats residents would face is disease from exposure to bodies, animal carcasses, contaminated water, and Hazmat spills.

However, many of these states’ current disaster emergency plans are not sufficient to help residents survive the devastating effects of an earthquake of that magnitude. Therefore, it’s important that all residents understand the dangers and be as prepared as possible.

The detailed plan explains that all people should [have] an emergency plan and enough supplies for you and everyone in your household to survive for at least two weeks following a disaster,” as well as what should be included in the kit and how to be ready for any kind of natural disaster.

If there is no shelter nearby, crawl next to an interior wall away from windows. Do not go outside, as there may be live wires or other unpredictable hazards that could cause injury.

However, once the waves from a large tsunami begin thrashing against land, it can be very challenging to go anywhere. Therefore, the absolute best way to stay safe during a tsunami is to look out for the warning signs, such as large waves, emergency alerts, or extensive rain, and leave the coast as quickly as possible.

“It’s hard to know exactly when it will happen, but certainly, if you compare this to other subduction zones, it is quite late,” as it has been more than 300 years since the last quake.

Therefore, it’s absolutely essential that those living along the West Coast of North America follow their states’ preparedness instructions and learn the necessary information to protect themselves from a megaquake right now.