USFREEDOM911
MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN
Sound 'Slow Slip' Event Begins
A slow earthquake is happening under Puget Sound right now, which increases the risk of a Cascadia subduction zone earthquake.
Although the risk is slight, it might be a good time to check your supply of food and fresh water. That's because the region is entering a period when the risk of a megathrust Cascadia subduction zone earthquake is slightly higher.
On Wednesday, the semi-annual "slow slip" event began, according to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) at the University of Washington. The event happens about every 14 months deep underneath the Puget Sound area and is essentially a slow earthquake that takes place over the course of two weeks.
During a slow-slip event, after 14 months of moving eastward, the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate stalls and moves westward, which puts stress on the Cascadia subduction zone.
Seismologists often refer to this as a "straw that broke the camel's back" scenario.
"It's loading up the edge of the lock zone of the Cascadia subduction zone more rapidly than normal tectonic processes would do," explained Bill Steele, director of communications at the PNSN. "You're getting seven months of strain accumulation applied to the back edge of the fault over a week."
The probability of a Cascadia quake goes up during a slow-slip event, but just slightly more than during other times of the year, Steele said. Still, it's not a bad idea to check your emergency plan and make sure you're ready for a large earthquake.
A slow earthquake is happening under Puget Sound right now, which increases the risk of a Cascadia subduction zone earthquake.
Although the risk is slight, it might be a good time to check your supply of food and fresh water. That's because the region is entering a period when the risk of a megathrust Cascadia subduction zone earthquake is slightly higher.
On Wednesday, the semi-annual "slow slip" event began, according to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) at the University of Washington. The event happens about every 14 months deep underneath the Puget Sound area and is essentially a slow earthquake that takes place over the course of two weeks.
During a slow-slip event, after 14 months of moving eastward, the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate stalls and moves westward, which puts stress on the Cascadia subduction zone.
Seismologists often refer to this as a "straw that broke the camel's back" scenario.
"It's loading up the edge of the lock zone of the Cascadia subduction zone more rapidly than normal tectonic processes would do," explained Bill Steele, director of communications at the PNSN. "You're getting seven months of strain accumulation applied to the back edge of the fault over a week."
The probability of a Cascadia quake goes up during a slow-slip event, but just slightly more than during other times of the year, Steele said. Still, it's not a bad idea to check your emergency plan and make sure you're ready for a large earthquake.
