Massive Mega-Quake Could Destroy Pacific Northwest Massive Mega-Quakes happen at regular intervals in the Pacific Northwest. There have been mega-quakes in the beginning of time. In Japan, a mega-quake send a 600-foot wave of water. The article I have chosen is the one on how “massive Mega-Quake Could Destroy Pacific Northwest”. The author notes that massive quakes have a magnitude of up to 9.2. It could last four minutes, according to seismologists. It occurs and then a wall of water follows. However, it could take up to fifteen minutes later. Individuals need to be concerned about the risks associated with the massive mega quakes. However, it seems that the people in the potential inundation zone have very little knowledge on the risks involved with mega quakes. Individuals that would be given a chance to live in the Pacific Northwest say that they would think twice. There is the need to offer education and training for the residents of the Pacific Northwest on the need for emergency preparedness and the things that should be done in case of massive mega quakes. …show more content…
• The author states that before the mega-quake actually hits, there is a compression wave that is detected by animals. It has received a wide debate as to the relationship between animals and the compression waves. It is said that animals start to react very strange and then two minutes later, there is a boom of a massive mega quake. • The other statement is that the New Yorker reported FEMA calculations that indicate that the massive mega quakes happen at regular intervals in the Pacific Northwest roughly every 240 years. Based on this statement, it implies that there has not been frequent massive mega quakes. However, geologists and paleologists can ascertain that massive mega quakes in the Pacific Northwest are usually often. Therefore, the geologists and paleologists do not concur with the statement. Evaluation Is this
Earthquakes are best described as a shaking or vibration of the ground caused by breaking of rock. Sometimes they are very strong and other times you would hardly notice them. This shaking occurs when stress that builds up in the crust is suddenly released as the crust breaks free and/or slides against the other pieces of crust. Earthquakes may also be thought of as the breaking of a popsicle stick by applying pressure to both ends at the same time. Should you try this experiment , you will feel the pressure build up as you apply more force until the stick snaps. When the stick snaps you will feel an instant of pain at your fingers as the stress reduces and energy waves move throughout the stick. When the earth's crust is placed under similar types of stress, binding as the stress builds, it will also snap and release the energy into the surrounding rocks, 'ooch'. Thinking about earthquakes will become more clear if you try another experiment.
An earthquake felt throughout the Midwest on June 18 was a shaky reminder that earthquakes can occur anywhere.
The scenario mentioned above was based on the rupture located along the Cascadia fault line. This fault system runs from Northern California to Vancouver Island about 700 miles off the shore (FOX5). Scientists use to believe that the San Andreas Fault was where a large earthquake tsunami would originate, but recently their attention has shifted to the Cascadia subduction zone which is now said to be much more dangerous than previously thought (FOX5). Recent earthquake events have added even more tension and possibility for a large-scale tsunami. On March 10, 2014, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Northern California, which put a lot of stress on the Mendocino Triple Junction (Davidson). The Mendocino Triple Junction is where three tectonic plates collide, and is very unstable (Davidson). This junction has all this built up pressure and is about ready to explode. Scientists believe that this junction will be the origin of a tear along the 680-mile long Cascadia Subduction Zone. (Davidson). The disaster that follows will be considered the United State’s largest modern-day earthquake.
Earthquakes in California are certainly not a surprise. What is a surprise is their unpredictability and randomness. Geologists say there is roughly a 50 percent chance that a magnitude 8 or more quake will hit the Los Angeles area sometime over the next 30 years. And, over the past twenty years, the Los Angeles area has witnessed several earthquakes, and in particular, two that were quite devastating; the 1971 San Fernando earthquake, and the January 17, 1994, Northridge Earthquake. Given the certainty that earthquakes will occur, they still seem to come as a surprise, and leave many communities unprepared to deal with their aftermath.
"The Great Quake: 1906-2006 / Rising from the Ashes." SFGate. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2014.
Heller, Arnie. "The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake." Science & Technology (2006): 4-12. Web. 8 May 2014.
Earthquakes have been recorded throughout history for thousands of years. Even before seismographs in early times, there are records and accounts of mysterious ground shaking. Earthquakes occur when rocks break along an underground fault (UPSeis, 2007). This, in return, causes vibrations through the earth which causes ground shaking. The magnitude of the shaking varies depending on how great the movement along the fault is; the greater the movement, the bigger the earthquake. Some earthquakes are huge and cause significant damage, while others are small and cause little or no damage what-so-ever. Earthquakes are unpredictable, and can happen at any time. It is uncertain where an earthquake will strike, but there is a greater risk of an earthquake for areas lying on or near a fault. No one is ever prepared for an earthquake, so the people affected must face a sometimes terrifying reality and can be scarred for life. One country in particular that has been severely affected from an earthquake is Italy. Over a century ago Messina, a city located in Sicily, was to face one of the most devastating natural events of the century.
U.S. Geological Survey. "The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake." The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. United States Geological Survey, 18 July 2012. Web. 1 Mar. 2014.
benchmark for the future, and integrated investigation into the effects of earthquakes in the U.S.
Before examining the Northridge event, understanding the naturally occurring hazard that is an earthquake will help to better understand exactly what happened and why it was such an important geological event. With four distinct layers, two layers, the crust and upper portion of the mantle, compose the skin that is the surface layer of the Earth. The crust is not a single, continuous piece. It is actually several different pieces, or plates, that come together to form the puzzle that comprises the surface of the Earth. These plates are in constant motion rubbing against one another. These areas, known as fault lines, where the plates rub up against one another have spots where one plate ”gets stuck while the rest of the plate keeps moving. When the plate has moved far enough, the edges unstick and is how most of the earthquakes around the world occur” (Wald, 2012). The energy stored from the friction of the two plate...
The effects of the great earthquake were felt around the world, from Norway's fjords to Antarctica's ice sheet. Tsunami debris continues to wash up on North American beaches two years later.
Rising of the earth’s crust is responsible for producing earthquakes, Submission of report for publishing.
The earthquake with magnitude 9.0 and tsunami hit many regions of Japan and destroyed everything on its ways. The effects could feel over the world. Tsunamis hit Pacific coastal lines in many countries. Numerous people died, missing, or homeless. People lived in shelter, without clean water, power, telecommunication, etc. Japan is still recovering from the damages with the help of foreign relief. Radioactive from the meltdown and the aftermath debris affects the global environment. Learning the mega-thrust earthquake will help us improves the warning system that could save people and avoid serious
Mother nature can sometimes be a real pain. Causing dramatic damage around the world, it can literally reshape the entire continent. At the age of ten, I encountered my first earthquake located in Pakistan. It took place Saturday morning at 7:00 a.m. I was very horrified, my family and I made sure that the neighbors were secure and I was scared to go back in the house after that event. This event never went out of my mind and I always remembered this day whenever I read news related to earthquakes.
Earthquakes occur almost all over the world and often cause many casualties and injuries, but it is a common misconception to think that all earthquakes or even most of them cause destruction. In fact, most earthquakes aren’t even strong enough to be felt by humans and most animals, and can only be recorded by seismometers that are strategically placed in all corners of the world in order to get a reliable and precise reading on the earthquakes strength. Another common misconception about earthquakes is that people believe that the injuries and deaths that result from earthquakes are because of the earth’s shaking itself, whereas it is in fact usually because of heavy items falling from the incessant vibrations. Earthquakes can be defined as