Tsunami Watch for Oregon

Some interesting information on the Chilean earthquake from George Priest and Antonio Baptista:

“The relatively large depth of the EQ (21 miles) and its location on the coast rather than significantly off the coast of Chile has limited the seafloor uplift and resulting tsunami, so only ~2 m of tsunami struck in the near field. The poor geometry of the wave propagation toward Oregon will limit the height to some small percentage of this value when it arrives ~ 2 PM.

The problem for emergency managers is how to respond to the NOAA advisory warning people off of waterfront/beaches. In Newport we have the seafood and wine festival all weekend, so large numbers of people are right at the waterfront. While it is unlikely that they will be in significant danger, given the way Yaquina Bay dissipates tsunami energy (our previous simulations), prudent emergency managers may well want to move folks away from the waterfront. The main lines of people waiting to get into the big tent is a flat parking lot near the Rogue brewery. Other parts of the coast will have similar difficult decisions.”


I just sent this info out via the FlashAlert Network state-wide:

For more information, contact:
James Roddey, Earth Sciences Information Officer, Oregon Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (971) 673-1543 (direct line) / (503) 807-8343 (cell)

This is the latest information (9:58 AM) from the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center:

A TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT WHICH INCLUDES THE COASTAL AREAS OF CALIFORNIA - OREGON - WASHINGTON - BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA FROM THE CALIFORNIA-MEXICO BORDER TO ATTU ALASKA...

Wave heights in Oregon, at this point, are not expected to be much more that a foot at most and it looks like they will arrive at about low tide on our coast, early this afternoon. Wave heights at Port Orford, OR are estimated to be 0.3M/1.0 FT, with wave heights expected to peak approximately two hours after initial arrival.

This From NWS/WCATWC:

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
A TSUNAMI HAS BEEN GENERATED WHICH COULD IMPACT THE ADVISORY REGIONS LISTED IN THE HEADLINE. PERSONS IN LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS SHOULD BE ALERT TO INSTRUCTIONS FROM THEIR LOCAL EMERGENCY OFFICIALS. EVACUATIONS ARE ONLY ORDERED BY EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES - PERSONS IN TSUNAMI ADVISORY AREAS SHOULD MOVE OUT OF THE WATER, OFF THE BEACH AND OUT OF HARBORS AND MARINAS.

A TSUNAMI ADVISORY MEANS THAT A TSUNAMI CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG CURRENTS OR WAVES DANGEROUS TO PERSONS IN OR VERY NEAR THE WATER IS IMMINENT OR EXPECTED. SIGNIFICANT WIDESPREAD INUNDATION IS NOT EXPECTED FOR AREAS UNDER AN ADVISORY. CURRENTS MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO SWIMMERS... BOATS... AND COASTAL STRUCTURES AND MAY CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS AFTER THE INITIAL WAVE ARRIVAL.

THE WAVES WILL FIRST REACH LA JOLLA CALIFORNIA AT 002 PM PST ON FEBRUARY 27. ESTIMATED TSUNAMI ARRIVAL TIMES AND MAPS ALONG WITH SAFETY RULES AND OTHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE WEB SITE: HTTP://www.WCATWC.ARH.NOAA.GOV

AT 1034 PM PACIFIC STANDARD TIME ON FEBRUARY 26 AN EARTHQUAKE WITH PRELIMINARY MAGNITUDE 8.8 OCCURRED NEAR THE COAST OF CENTRAL CHILE. THIS EARTHQUAKE HAS GENERATED A TSUNAMI WHICH COULD CAUSE DAMAGE TO REGIONS IN A WARNING OR ADVISORY.

More information on the tsunami can be found at the NOAA Center for Tsunami Research website: http://nctr.pmel.noaa.gov/chile20100227/


James Roddey
Earth Sciences Information Officer
Oregon Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries
800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 965, Portland, OR 97232
(971) 673-1543 (direct line) / (503) 807-8343 (cell)
mailto:james.roddey@dogami.state.or.us
http://www.oregongeology.org

High Wind Warning for Curry County and Southern Oregon Coast

The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning for Curry County and the Southern Oregon Coast.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEDFORD HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THURSDAY TO 4 AM PST
FRIDAY. THE HIGH WIND WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* TIMING: A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE COAST LATE THURSDAY
AFTERNOON WITH STRONG WINDS LIKELY THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT.

* WINDS: SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 35 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
55 TO 65 MPH. THE MAIN THREAT AREA IS FROM BANDON TO GOLD BEACH.
WINDS WILL TAPER EARLY FRIDAY MORNING.

* IMPACTS: STRONG GUSTS COULD PRODUCE DOWNED TREES AND POWER
OUTAGES...AND WILL IMPACT TRAVEL OF HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES ON
EXPOSED STRETCHES OF HIGHWAY 101.

CERT In Action!

Yamhill County, Ore., CERT Members Extinguish Fire at County Fair
Two Yamhill County, Ore., CERT members in the right place at the right time helped prevent a major emergency at the Yamhill County Fair and Rodeo in July 2009. A propane bottle in one of the concession booths sprang a leak, causing propane vapors to pool, ignite, and explode. The bottle then fell on its side, making it more difficult to control the flames.

Two CERT members, on a break from duties at the exit gate, immediately leaped into action. One member called 911 while the other began using an extinguisher to quench the fire. With the help of the vendor’s brother and another fair attendee, they were able to fully extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading.

“Together, this collection of men who chose to act rather than watch saved the situation from becoming something much more serious,” said Doug McGillivray, emergency manager for Yamhill County.

The explosion and subsequent fire damaged a rear corner of the booth and a large portion of the supplies used by the vendor, and destroyed much of the booth next to it. However, the men were able to stop the fire before it spread to other propane tanks nearby.

“If the fire had not been extinguished quickly, there was a risk of one or more of the tanks exploding, and this is one of the great concerns for firefighters — the explosion of a pressure vessel containing flammable material,” said McGillivray. “A potential major emergency was averted by quick thinking.”

Incidentally, the members recently completed the CERT course on proper fire extinguisher use. One of the men remarked that it was just like he was taught in class: A slow and methodical approach using proper techniques works well.

Earthquake news from the News Review in Douglas County, OR

http://www.nrtoday.com/article/2010100229995


The devastation following the earthquake in Haiti on Jan. 12 shocked many in Douglas County, but right here at home a similarly damaging earthquake is just waiting to happen.Lurking under the sea 50 miles off the Southern Oregon coast is a dangerous threat. Two pieces of the Earth's crust pushing against each other at an offshore fault will eventually cause an earthquake reaching a magnitude of 9.0 or higher that will rock Douglas County, according to experts, as well as the rest of the state.

The resulting shaking, which could last anywhere between four and 10 minutes, would result in tsunamis, flooding and landslides that would likely cause widespread devastation. Buildings, roads, highways and bridges throughout Douglas County would be damaged. Power, water and other utilities would be cut off. Communication with land lines, as well as cell phones, would be impossible.And this type of devastating earthquake could be due to strike Oregon. Geologists predict that such an earthquake happens about every 250 to 800 years. The last time such a huge earthquake hit Oregon was 310 years ago.“It's one of those things that geologists are fond of saying, ‘It's not a matter of if. It's a matter of when,' ” said Umpqua Community College geology instructor Jason Aase.

The chance of Oregon being hit by a major quake in the next 50 years, he said, is about 14 percent.“If you go to California, earthquakes happen all the time,” said Aase. “Here they don't happen so people aren't prepared for them. Certainly not a magnitude 8 or 9. That's huge.”The Haitian earthquake was a magnitude 7.0 and lasted about 40 seconds. At a magnitude of 9, the earthquake lurking in Oregon's future would be much more violent, said Aase. It would release roughly 900 times the amount of energy as the Haiti quake and last for minutes instead of seconds, he said. Government agencies were ill-equipped to handle the Haitian quake devastation. Many buildings would never have met the strict seismic standards required in the U.S.In Douglas County, those who would be called upon to help during a devastating earthquake say they have a disaster plan.

Measures include ensuring the availability of shelters for quake victims, running disaster drills and setting up special modes of communication so government agencies and other disaster responders can connect even if phone lines are down. The Cascadia Subduction ZoneEach day, more pressure builds up along the 700-mile-long Cascadia Subduction Zone, where the Juan de Fuca Plate meets the North American Plate underneath the Pacific Ocean.

Along the subduction zone, which stretches off the coast of southern British Colombia down to upper northern California, the two plates constantly push up against each other, causing the Juan de Fuca Plate to subduct, or sink, underneath the North American Plate. “It's trying to force its way underneath the North American Plate,” said Aase of the Juan de Fuca plate. Aase likens the process to compressing a yard stick on both sides. At first, it will just keep bending and bending, but at some point, the pressure will be too great and the stick will snap.“Eventually, the two plates are going to come together and it's going to release all this energy,” he said. Devastation

The resulting earthquake would have catastrophic, far-reaching effects, said James Roddey, earth sciences information officer for the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries. Roddey, who said he is often referred to as the “Prophet of Doom,” travels the state preaching to the public about the impending disaster, including a speech he gave at Roseburg High School last spring.“There would be substantial damage in Southern Oregon,” he said, adding that this part of Oregon is even more susceptible to damage because the Cascadia fault is about 25 miles closer to the coast than in the rest of Oregon.Douglas County's coastal communities would be the most vulnerable, he said. Towns such as Reedsport and Winchester Bay would be flooded by tsunami waves stretching more than 100 miles long and 30 to 70 feet tall, crashing into the coast repeatedly.

But areas farther inland, such as those along the Interstate 5 corridor, wouldn't be spared despite experiencing a lower magnitude of about 7.0, Roddey said.In Roseburg, for instance, older historic buildings in areas such as downtown, especially those built out of brick, would be destroyed. Homes and businesses near the South Umpqua River and on steep hills could be swept away by landslides. Bridges crossing the South Umpqua River, such as the Washington and Oak Street spans, would be in danger of collapsing. “A huge magnitude 9 earthquake is not going to shake violently. It's going to shake for a long time and that's how it does the damage,” said Roddey.Meanwhile, throughout Douglas County transportation would be extremely limited, causing family members to easily become isolated from each other.“The I-5 corridor would cease to exist,” said Roddey. Since the highway passes over so many waterways with bridges that aren't likely to withstand being shaken for so long, it would be basically impassable, he said.

An Oregon Department of Transportation report on the seismic vulnerability of Oregon state highway bridges, which came out last November, confirms Roddey's warning. “With the majority of state-owned bridges designed and built between 1950 and 1980, the state of Oregon would face a devastating post-earthquake situation if a major event occurred in the state,” the report states.According to the report, along with bridge collapses along Interstate 5, U.S. Highway 101 would be severely damaged. Additionally, all of the existing state highways connecting Highway 101 to I-5 would be impassible, which would effectively cut the coast off from the rest of Douglas County Emergency Response.

In anticipation of all these frightening scenarios, those who'd be called on to help with relief say they have plans in place to make disaster relief go as smoothly as possible.“The people in the field are going to do what they're trained to do,” said Wayne Stinson, who's in charge of the Emergency Management Division of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. The difficult part will be coordinating relief efforts among various communities and agencies, he said.“The good thing is there's a lot of emergency services in most of the communities,” he said. “We've got back-up systems for a lot of critical components.”“But are we ready?” he added. “ No.”

The problem is it's near impossible to fully prepare for such a large earthquake, but he and others responsible for disaster response in Douglas County are doing their best to be ready for the worst, one step at a time, he said.“It definitely would be a collaboration of the community in the event of a disaster,” said Kathleen Nickel, a spokeswoman for Mercy Medical Center.

The hospital, like other agencies that would respond in a disaster, has created a disaster plan and participates in regular drills with other emergency responders to be prepared for the worst. Mercy, for, instance, has water stored and generators for power with fuel to last about a week, said Bob Dannenhoffer, vice president of clinical effectiveness and a member of the hospital safety committee. Stinson said the Emergency Management Division coordinates one or two disaster drills a year where a county emergency operation center is set up at the sheriff's office to coordinate disaster response.

Last year's exercise was a earthquake scenario, he said. One advantage of smaller, more rural communities of Douglas County, Stinson said, is a familiarity among emergency response agencies.“We all know each other,” he said. “Most of us know each other on a first name or occasional contact basis.”Along with anticipating working together with county emergency responders, the Douglas County Chapter of the American Red Cross has agreements with local churches, schools and community centers to create up to 75 disaster shelters throughout the county, said Red Cross volunteer George Roth, the local emergency services coordinator. To supply these shelters, they've stockpiled food, water, cots, blankets, clothes, toiletries and basic first aid supplies, he said.They've also set up plenty of ways to keep in touch with other shelters and agencies providing disaster relief, using radios that should work even when other modes of communication are down. These radios, he said, will also make it possible for families that have been separated to communicate with one another and send along a message that they're alive. The Red Cross can also set up a Web site, like the one created following Hurricane Katrina, to alert relatives living in other parts of the country that family members are all right. Roth is among about 40 or 50 people in the county that operate amateur radios that can also be used for communication following an earthquake.

The county has taken similar measures to ensure that disaster responders can communicate, said Stinson, but if those fail, communications may depend on amateur radio operators.

Among the greatest concerns is the threat of coastal Douglas County being cut off from the rest of the county, said Stinson. As a result, a special emergency management center would be set up at a Reedsport fire station to serve that part of the county, he said.

Personal responsibility -Ultimately, though, county disaster response experts say each person is responsible for their own safety and survival following a high-magnitude earthquake.

Stinson said he often preaches the importance of personal preparedness, because there's no way people will be able to rely on the government following such a large-scale disaster.Roth agrees.“If you have an event that renders a whole community in need of (emergency) services, you need to be prepared to take care of yourself,” he said.

Families should arrange a central meeting point if they are separated and stockpile enough food, water and other supplies to last for at least three days — two weeks in rural areas and along the coast, he said.“The important thing is for people to be aware that it can happen,” he said. “Make a kit and prepare as a family.”•

You can reach reporter Inka Bajandas at 541-957-4202 or by e-mail at ibajandas@nrtoday.com.

FEMA Region VII Earthquake Message

Yesterday we talked about an earthquake off the coast of Oregon, and today we see that FEMA Region 7 is giving good advice on how to prepare for an earthquake, and what to do when one happens.

FEMA Region 7 is in the midwest where earthquakes rarely occur, yet they still urge preparedness because earthquake DO happen!

Before an earthquake occurs:

• Consider purchasing earthquake insurance.
• Buy a 20-gallon garbage can and fill it with emergency supplies.
• Consider retrofitting your home to make it more resistant to earthquake damage.
• Educate your children about earthquake safety.
• Anchor heavy furniture, shelves, cupboards and appliances to the walls or floor.
• Store dangerous chemicals such as flammable liquids and poisons in a secure place.
• Learn how to shut off the gas, electricity and water.
• Have money in savings for post-catastrophic expenses that aren’t covered by your earthquake insurance policy. These expenses may include higher insurance deductible and repair or replacement claims that exceed your policy limits.

When an earthquake hits, what to do if you’re indoors:

• DROP to the ground;
• Take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture; and
• HOLD ON until the shaking stops. Cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building.
• Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall
• Stay in bed if you are there when the earthquake strikes. Hold on and protect your head with a pillow, unless you are under a heavy light fixture that could fall. In that case, move to the nearest safe place.
• Stay inside until shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Research has shown that most injuries occur when people inside buildings attempt to move to a different location inside the building or try to leave.
• Be aware that the electricity may go out or the sprinkler systems or fire alarms may turn on.

When an earthquake hits, what to do if you’re outdoors:

• Stay there. Drop, Cover and Hold.
• Move away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires.
• Once in the open, stay there until the shaking stops. The greatest danger exists directly outside buildings, at exits, and alongside exterior walls. Ground movement during an earthquake is seldom the direct cause of death or injury. Most earthquake-related casualties result from collapsing walls, flying glass, and falling objects.

To see the whole message, go to http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=50396 and visit http://www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/

Earthquake off Oregon Coast on Feb 13

Few people watch the USGS Earthquake website. Most Oregonians didn't know that there was a 4.3 earthquake about 200 miles west of Eugene, OR, out in the Pacific Ocean.

This is a relatively minor earthquake and small ones like this happen a dozen or so times every year. So what?

We keep our eyes on these smaller earthquakes as reminders that a big one could occur. That is why it is important to be prepared: have a plan, have an emergency and survival kit, and know what to do.

Like Haiti, a devastating earthquake can occur at any time. Be prepared!

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2010srad.php#details