Earthquakes, one of the most catastrophic natural disasters, have shaken up the exquisite coast of Oregon. The coast is known for its beautiful landscapes and beaches with amazing views of sunsets and sunrises. Unfortunately, there is a dangerous tectonic plate below the surface of the coast. This plate, known as the Juan de Fuca plate or the Cascadia Basin, has become active and left many people on the coast scared and paranoid about another attack. Even though these earthquakes have an average magnitude of three, one has reached a magnitude of six and they may start to increase as the plates move. As people prepare for potentially devastating earthquakes, concern has spread throughout the state for “The Big One.”
In the past forty-five days alone, over nine earthquakes have impacted the coast of Oregon. The smaller earthquakes haven’t affected civilians too harshly, however, just a couple of weeks ago a large earthquake on the southern coast struck the water and many people felt the shaking. This earthquake had reportedly been the third-largest earthquake in that region in ten years. This has shocked the community in this area and is causing concern for possible larger earthquakes yet to come and possible tsunamis resulting from the earthquakes.
A large earthquake known as “The Big One” is ready to impact the coast greatly. It gets its name from the fact that it will be a massive earthquake. According to some seismologists, there is a predicted earthquake that is due to erupt below the Pacific Northwest. This means the coast of Washington, Oregon, California, and some parts of Canada will be affected. This earthquake is predicted to be a nine on the magnitude scale, which is a very high number and can cause disastrous effects. This doesn’t just affect the coast of these states but can also reach into the land pretty far. Scientists believe this because earthquakes usually follow a certain pattern over time. The last time an earthquake of this size hit this plate was in January of 1700. Seismologists say that we are just about due for another one and this time it could be the most disastrous because there are many more buildings and homes around. An earthquake of this size could greatly influence our region and destroy many homes as well as cause tsunamis.
The Oregon coast isn’t just being affected by earthquakes but also tornados. On November 11th, a tornado with eighty–five-mile-per-hour winds struck Rockaway Beach. This has left many homes covered in debris and broken items. Tornados aren’t as common in Oregon as in most states on the east coast. This is because Oregon’s mountainous landscape makes it harder for tornadoes to reach inland. However, Oregon still gets on average three tornados a year. This recent one has left Rockaway Beach a little banged up and it may take time for the area to recover.
Unfortunately, the coast has already been damaged by these natural disasters and hopefully, future natural disasters won’t be worse. The Oregon coast is vulnerable to both earthquakes and tornados, so as these threats impact the state, it is important for residents to stay aware and ready for another attack.
