There’s a whole lot of shakin’ going on along the West Coast these days.
Southern California was recently hit by two large earthquakes, fortunately in relatively remote areas that left relatively little damage. Those were followed by a pair of quakes northeast of Seattle, and a magnitude 5.4 temblor as part of a series of rumblings off the Oregon Coast.
There is nothing new about warnings that this part of the world is due — overdue, really, in geological terms — for The Big One to hit. Because science still has not mastered the ability to prevent Earth’s tectonic plates from slipping and sliding and sending shock waves toward us mere mortals, the latest shaking provides a reminder of the need for preparedness.
That calls for a little self-reliance. Or maybe a lot. Because when a large earthquake does hit the Northwest, the odds are that our friendly government workers will not be able to provide quick assistance. As a 2015 article in The New Yorker surmised: “The northwest edge of the continent, from California to Canada and the continental shelf to the Cascades, will drop by as much as 6 feet and rebound 30 to 100 feet to the west — losing, within minutes, all the elevation and compression it has gained over centuries.”
Such a catastrophe would leave roads impassable — both for residents and rescue workers. It also would leave residents without water and electricity and plumbing for days, if not weeks or months. And it would render bridges and railroad tracks and airports unusable, limiting the scope of help arriving from outside the region.
In addition, an earthquake that creates widespread damage in Clark County likely would also hit Portland and/or Seattle, which would become the focal point of emergency efforts.
All of this might sound rather dystopian. But we probably are better off preparing for the worst while hoping for the best.
For such preparation, the Red Cross recommends: Have basic supplies available, including one gallon of water per person per day and enough nonperishable food for two weeks; keep a flashlight and batteries handy in a place that can easily be reached; and maintain a deluxe family first-aid kit.
Additional recommendations can be found at the Red Cross website. Clark Public Utilities and Clark County also provide suggestions for emergency preparedness, including: Make a family plan; set meeting places; and establish communication procedures. Remember that when disaster strikes, the kids might be at school and the parents might be at work.
Of course, such preparations are essential for any kind of emergency. But because tornadoes and volcanic eruptions are rare in this part of the country and because we are not really worried about a typhoon hitting the Northwest, the focus today is on the possibility of an earthquake.
The federal government is developing a Shake Alert system to provide early warnings of a temblor, and last week Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., joined other senators in writing to the Federal Communications Commission: “Recent seismic activity along the West Coast demonstrates the need to continue developing rapid early alerts for earthquakes.” The system is available for government agencies, allowing for electrical grids or railroads or water systems to be shut down, but public use remains about a year away.
Even with a public alert system, there is little that can be done to mitigate the damage caused by an earthquake. The alternative, therefore, is to prepare as well as possible for the aftermath once the shaking stops.
