PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Airborne scientists have detected a fault they didn’t know about on the northern flank of Mount Hood.
The Oregonian reports (http://bit.ly/pXnYv9 ) the scientists found it appears to be active — and dangerous. The evidence suggests that the last time the fault ruptured, a magnitude 6 or 7 earthquake resulted. A state geologist said that might have caused damage in Hood River valley towns.
The discovery comes from a team of scientists using a system that bounces laser flashes off the ground to search for hidden seismic faults.
The scientists have found dozens of shallow crustal faults, including others near Mount Hood and several in Deschutes County, Klamath County, and near the coast between Bandon and Coos Bay.
