Town Square: Pacific Northwest Earthquake Forum

US Geological Survey brings four local experts to Town Hall's stage for a forum discussion on seismic activity in our region. They offer insight into the study of faults and ground shaking, monitoring technology and early warning systems, earthquake-based building engineering, and strategies and policies for preparedness. Learn more about earthquakes throughout our region, and what we can do to make sure we're not caught unprepared. Presented by Town Hall Seattle.
Speakers include:
Brian Sherrod, Research Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey
Erin Wirth, U. S. Geological Survey's Earthquake Science Center
Harold Tobin, Pacific Northwest Seismic Network; Department of Earth, Space Sciences at the University of Washington
John Hooper, Magnusson Klemencic Associates
Barb Graff, Seattle Office of Emergency Management

[@michaelschneider2874]

I was working on an old dock on the Southern edge of Lake Union in Seattle when a estimated 5 hit in 1964 . When it hit my first thought was the dock was collapsing ! I spun around to jump on one of the boats and froze when I saw the Space Needle swaying against the grey sky !

[@chrisshotwell4442]

Picture-in-picture would be great when the speaker is referring to a slide.

[@marcosmota1094]

While catching up on old news I've gone back and looked over maps of the tsunami that hit Japan. Most of their nuclear power plants are on their *east coast and exposed to the Pacific,* where their meticulous historical records mention tsunamis as far back as *1,300* years. Why pick the east, to better protect them from China or Russia? Why run different procedures and hardware for each generator? The *hubris and complacency* just adds up when you consider the warnings from Indonesia. The same applies to the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The level of disconnect from reality is just staggering. Seattle has utility gas check valves, but California doesn't. San Francisco wants to ban gas appliances and replace them with what? How many buildings have mass dampeners or columns with attenuators...questions questions while time runs out.

[@mccunicano]

Only 5 of the country's 16 extant nuclear plants are on the Pacific coast: Onagawa, Fukushima 1, Fukushima 2, Tokai, and Hamaoka. However, tsunami hit nearly every coast of Japan, not just the Pacific.

[@GaryR55]

About the Space Needle, there is a KZbin video of KING5's 1965 video of news coverage of the 7.0 quake that hit Seattle at that time. Specifically, the effects of the quake on the Space Needle are graphically mentioned in this coverage and it sounded as though the structure survived the quake very well. As an engineering/architectural draftsman for 31 years (retired, now), I can speak to the structural design of the Space Needle. It was an excellent structural design that has withstood earthquakes and high winds for nearly 60 years without damage.

[@brucewettin]

it was built to withstand a 9.0

[@meripederson8379]

So why is camera focused on speaker?

[@alanmarston8612]

This is the second time that I have attempted to watch your program??? Someone needs to fire the camera person.

[@bryanthompson12]

what's wrong with the camera?😀

[@karraral-bahathly6990]

Are people allowed to go to town meetings whenever?

[@SeattleChannel21]

This event was recorded at Town Hall Seattle. Here's a link to their calendar of events: townhallseattle.org/event-calendar/

[@donaldfrazier5244]

As long as you’re talking about the population centers there’s a plan but here in podunk we are toast

[@michaelschneider2874]

If the Cascadia Subduction Zone cuts loose with a level Nine off the southern tip of B.C. , what is the likelihood of an increase in vulcanism along the Cascade Mountain Chain of active volcanoes ???

[@mckenzieraynor8436]

Probably fairly high. St Helen's might be more active, but big ones like rainier are dormant. I'm not sure though, not a scientist

[@adrianne9549]

They are all waking up, magma is moving into the volcanoes and they are venting steam. Emergency management associates you tube channel has details.

[@sherimatukonis6016]

There is NO geological evidence that past cascadia events have set off any eruptions, so not likely.

[@missjddrage1111]

More than likely it'll high enough to trigger multiple volcanoes.. or at least cause disruption to the sea bed where all our WWII sunken ships, with explosive material still on board, to perhaps ignite in a forcing of nature's catastrophic endeavors. 🤔🕵

[@sherimatukonis6016]

@@missjddrage1111 no recorded history of earthquakes causing volcanos to erupt. Besides, it'll be bad enough without all that...

[@christophernovak9128]

Yes I love this because its a real event my name is Chris Novak that's what I agree with could a 10.9 or higher chance. 12.0 in subduction. Zone in Chile. Not cascades. Do you agree with. Me

[@damon6717]

Whats interesting, is if ya take time out of the equation. There is a 100% Chance of a Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake

[@vincentzack]

What happens if the earthquake last 5 to 10 minutes?

[@sherimatukonis6016]

That'd be a 9+ and nearly everything breaks west of I-5.

[@vincentzack]

@@sherimatukonis6016 Yes...big trouble. Tsunamis, Landslides, Fires. Of course it will happen when least expected. I just hope people will be safe.

[@sherimatukonis6016]

@@vincentzack as long as I'm not on the toilet at the time, I'll be happy enough. Lol

[@henrychoy2764]

shake and bake martini - STIRRED, not shaken

[@LyleRobertSmith2]

I will never ever sit inside a structure during an earthquake and anyone who does great. I will get out much faster. The biggest disaster in US history good luck to you!! I’ve got earthquake insurance.

[@ayatullah2936]

Biggest spartan race say to your supper computer figure out british one's

[@thosyoung373]

Many of the statements made by Erin Wirth either minimize the potential of a CSZ earthquake, are cherry-picked for the least-likely outcome, or are simply inaccurate. For example, she stated that a rupture of the CSZ would be a 100-second event, which is completely inaccurate given the length of the fault zone and the speed of propagation of the P and S waves. In many cases, she picked the least-damaging, most-favorable aspects of such a rupture. Cherry-picking these factors presented an unrealistic outcome, mixing various chosen aspects which are highly unlikely or almost impossible to occur in the combinations she discussed. Minimizing the possible outcomes is not in the interest of public welfare and safety: tell the truth, no matter how unpalatable it might be politically, and stick to facts paleoseismologists have discovered.

[@davincidanielson928]

I don't buy it