That Earthquake...

This post isn't about our experiences up here, but about yours down there! During this two week period, there was a large (7.7) earthquake just north of the Juan De Fuca plate off of the Canadian coast. It has been followed by a long series of consistent, good sized earthquakes (4.0-6.0).

I heard about this a day or so after it happened, and I was surprised that I couldn't find much information about it. All I could find was a small article online, towards the bottom of the page already by the second day. Apparently no one down there felt it, which is disappointing but also not too surprising because it was reasonably far away.

I didn't think too much more of it until Laura got back. She said that when she and her Geophysics professors found out about it, they found it alarming. The earthquake happened north of where it would be expected. It was a subduction earthquake instead of a strike slip, which isn't what is supposed to have happened on that fault. It was very large, and all of the aftershocks indicate that there was a lot of movement in the area. This could cause enough disruption to set off "the big one".

Of course we have no desire to cry wolf. There are tons of instances in which things could be "the big one" and nothing happens. So its not like by writing about this we're thinking it will have to happen. However, they did joke about not wanting to spend too much time in the area...

So instead of crying wolf and worrying that a big one will happen any day, it should instead remind us to be prepared! Keep a supply of food, water, batteries, you name it. I'm no expert on what is needed, but its all online... And if you are reading this, it means I care about you, and it's about 95% certain you live in the Pacific Northwest... so you should get all the supplies together just in case. Because even if this means nothing, it could always happen  at some point in the future.

However, with hurricane Sandy... and it being 2012... a big earthquke happening soon would make sense. ;)

(Eta: There has been more activity in the area.)