PORTLAND, Ore. — West Coast residents are understandably shaken up after a series of earthquakes in Washington in California, but is there even a reason to worry?
Are recent earthquakes on the West Coast going to trigger another one in Oregon?
Oregon State University oceanographer and expert on the Cascadia Subduction Zone Dr. Chris Goldfinger said we have no reason to worry an earthquake in Oregon will happen next.
There's no connection between the fault lines of the earthquakes, and no increased seismic activity in Oregon. Our risk remains high for the "Big One," so we should always be prepared no matter what, he said.
What other faults exist in the Portland metro area?
According to Dr. Goldfinger, a fault weaves through Oregon City to Scappoose, and could reach magnitude 7. Its damage would be extensive, as it lurks underneath heavily populated areas.
It could destroy one in three buildings in the Portland metro region, displace as many as 257,000 people and injure 63,000.
But... don't worry. The risk of that earthquake is far more unlikely than a Cascadia earthquake, according to Ali Ryan Hansen with DOGAMI.
Does this mean we'll see more earthquakes?
No, it doesn't. Dr. Goldfinger says Oregon's faults are much more slow moving than those in California, where earthquakes happen often.
This may be comforting, but keep in mind less pressure is being released from the earth, meaning these faults are storing energy for a potentially devastating quake event.
Can earthquakes be a good thing?
In Oregon, earthquakes that do not result in deaths, injuries or structural damage can actually be a great thing, according to Dr. Goldfinger. They serve as a great reminder to prepare ourselves for a potentially devastating quake.