Tsunami Alert Active Oregon and Washington

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the recent tsunami alert issued for Oregon and Washington following a significant earthquake near Eureka, California, estimated at a magnitude of 7.2. Participants express concern about the potential impacts of the earthquake and discuss related seismic activity along the Pacific coast and the Ring of Fire.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note the issuance of an emergency alert due to the earthquake and express concern for those living near the coast.
  • There are discussions about the depth and location of the earthquake, with some participants highlighting its shallow depth and proximity to Crescent City, CA.
  • Several participants mention the potential for aftershocks and the implications of increased seismic activity along the Ring of Fire, suggesting that this could indicate a new period of significant geological activity.
  • Some participants speculate about the historical context of seismic events, noting that areas of the U.S. have experienced underwater conditions in the past.
  • There are references to the geological implications of tectonic movements, including potential upthrusting and changes in shoreline elevation, which could lead to significant disruption.
  • One participant raises the question of whether current seismic activity could be related to previous earthquakes, such as the Christmas quake in Indonesia.
  • Humorous remarks are made about California's geological fate and the idea of claiming future beachfront property.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of concern and humor regarding the earthquake and tsunami alert. While there is some agreement on the potential for increased seismic activity, there is no consensus on the implications or the likelihood of future events. The discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing views on the geological context and future risks.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference various geological phenomena and historical seismic activity, but there are limitations in the assumptions made about the frequency and impact of such events. The discussion includes speculative elements regarding future earthquakes and their potential effects.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those following seismic activity, geology enthusiasts, and individuals living in coastal areas prone to earthquakes and tsunamis.

Ivan Seeking
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Well that's a first!

At 7:56PM PDT, an emergency alert was issued due to a large earthquake - initial est mag 7.2 - around Eureka California.
 
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Ivan Seeking said:
Well that's a first!

At 7:56PM PDT, an emergency alert was issued due to a large earthquake - initial est mag 7.2 - around Eureka California.
I hope you're not close to the coast!
 
Ivan Seeking said:
Well that's a first!

At 7:56PM PDT, an emergency alert was issued due to a large earthquake - initial est mag 7.2 - around Eureka California.
7.2 is gettin' up there. :eek:
 
Uh oh... Hope everything is ok.
 
So I just heard that the California coast is lit up too.
I really hope it's just a false alarm.
 
Do I need to stuff the cat in a pillowcase and start driving East?
 
Better to be safe then sorry with the alert system. I hope for the best.
 
I've heard it's been called off...
 
Someone here said something about that too. Appearantly it will happen in the next maybe 30 min if it does at all.
 
  • #10
It should be called off. They were reporting the mexico/california border's tsunami alerts were activated but called off about 30 minutes late.
 
  • #11
The 7.2 quake near Eureka/Crescent City is shallow, only 10 km (6.2 mi) - 146 km (91 mi) WSW of Crescent City, CA.

It follows two other quake clusters, with a 5.2 quake (33.533°N, 116.578°W, Depth = 14.1 km (8.8 miles)) in S. California on Sunday, June 12, 99 km (62 miles) NNE (32°) from San Diego, CA, and the other a 5.0 quake (lat. 51.400N, long. 178.840E) at depth of 15.0km, and located 161 km (100 mi) WSW of Adak, AK.

Things seem to be heating up on the Eastern belt of the Ring of Fire.
 
Last edited:
  • #12
Math Is Hard said:
Do I need to stuff the cat in a pillowcase and start driving East?
If you can get the pillowcase off of Gale's head, and the cat off of yours...
Anyhow, I hope it has been cancelled.
 
  • #13
Danger said:
If you can get the pillowcase off of Gale's head, and the cat off of yours...
Anyhow, I hope it has been cancelled.

man, i was going to comment about that too... damn you.

btw, ring of fire is like, pacific ocean right?
 
  • #14
Evo said:
I hope you're not close to the coast!

No, we're find here. We have a small mountain range between us and the ocean.

Has anyone heard any damage reports from N California?
 
  • #15
Gale17 said:
man, i was going to comment about that too... damn you.
I was gone for almost 3 hours. Just dumb luck that I checked back two minutes ahead of you.
 
  • #16
Gale said:
btw, ring of fire is like, pacific ocean right?
I thought it was Johnny Cash... ;-p
 
  • #17
no your wrong, it was a dumb movie that i didnt bother going to see :D
 
  • #18
i look at the USG website frequently, and there have been many large earthquakes over the past week up and down the ring of fire, from Alaska to California to South America. very interesting how it all happens so close together...
 
  • #19
Kerrie said:
i look at the USG website frequently, and there have been many large earthquakes over the past week up and down the ring of fire, from Alaska to California to South America. very interesting how it all happens so close together...
Within the same system, such as the Sunda trench near Sumatra, one earthquake relieves stress locally, but that produces an increase in stress elsewhere. An increase in activity from Alaska to Chile could mean something big is going on along the entire Eastern Pacific ROF. It bears watching.

I just wonder if we may start seeing more stonger > 7.0 and more frequent earthquakes. That would be very troublesome given the development along the Pacific coast.

Don't forget that the Cascades, Sierra Nevada, Bitteroots, and Rocky Mountains exist because of the tectonic movements. Could we be seeing a new period of significant activity?
 
  • #20
Astronuc said:
one earthquake relieves stress locally, but that produces an increase in stress elsewhere.

It's funny, but not too long ago that was considered to be nonsense.

Geologists have been watching the three sisters [mountains] here in Oregon. One has a bulge that has been growing at a worrisome rate. Mt Shasta and Mt Lassen in California have also sbeen showing signs of activity.
 
  • #21
Astronuc said:
Within the same system, such as the Sunda trench near Sumatra, one earthquake relieves stress locally, but that produces an increase in stress elsewhere. An increase in activity from Alaska to Chile could mean something big is going on along the entire Eastern Pacific ROF. It bears watching.

I just wonder if we may start seeing more stonger > 7.0 and more frequent earthquakes. That would be very troublesome given the development along the Pacific coast.

Don't forget that the Cascades, Sierra Nevada, Bitteroots, and Rocky Mountains exist because of the tectonic movements. Could we be seeing a new period of significant activity?
Well, we keep telling California they're just going to fall off into the ocean one of these days. :-p
 
  • #22
Moonbear said:
Well, we keep telling California they're just going to fall off into the ocean one of these days. :-p
Methinks it's time to put toll gates in the Rockies.
 
  • #23
Moonbear said:
Well, we keep telling California they're just going to fall off into the ocean one of these days.
The part west of the San Andreas fault is shifting to the NNW.

The more serious concern would be new dramatic upthrusting. What is now shoreline on the coast may end up tens or hundreds of feet above current elevation. A lot of destruction and disruption there.

Also, some low lying areas could be submerged.

People nowadays forget that there are few parts of the US that have not been underwater at one time or another in the past 300-500 million years, although in general, the land has been slowly rising.
 
  • #24
Astronuc said:
The part west of the San Andreas fault is shifting to the NNW.

The more serious concern would be new dramatic upthrusting. What is now shoreline on the coast may end up tens or hundreds of feet above current elevation. A lot of destruction and disruption there.

Also, some low lying areas could be submerged.

People nowadays forget that there are few parts of the US that have not been underwater at one time or another in the past 300-500 million years, although in general, the land has been slowly rising.
Okay, I've got my stake and I'm sticking it out in the ocean to claim my future beachfront property. :smile: (In case it wasn't clear, I wasn't serious with my earlier comment...:rolleyes: not with this one either).
 
  • #25
Here in the NW, about sixty miles out at sea I think, we are due for a subduction zone event: mag 8 - 9. It has recently been discovered that these occur much more frequently than previously thought... I think they are now saying that these occur on about a 500 year cycle.
 
  • #26
I have been following seismic events over the last 18 months in a thread -

Earthquakes on Everything-Science/Geology.

There is also thread on US Volcanoes and another, My Local Volcano, which has some details on Asamayama in Japan.
 
  • #27
Could the current activity be "ringing" from the Christmas quake in Indonesia?
 

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