Earthquakes?? Yikes! (Seattle, Tacoma, Vancouver: construction, elementary school, earthquake)

[Chelsielea]

Originally Posted by sean98125

Earthquakes? It's the volcanoes you have to worry about.

haha GREAT sean98125, great! Mind elaborating???

[sean98125]

Mt. St. Helens is still on the active side. Mt. Baker sends up puffs of steam every once in a while. Mt. Rainier is a ticking time bomb, probably not so much because of eruptions but because there is water percolating through the seemingly solid rock that makes up the mountain. There have been epic mudflows from Mt. Rainier that were not associated with an eruption - part of the mountain just sluffed off and made it's way to Orting or Auburn.

Earthquakes are easy, especially thanks to the robust building codes we have around here. If you're outside, you just make sure you aren't standing under any windows or power lines and you ride it out. You're probably fine inside any building built since 1950 (though the old brick buildings that are still standing have been through a dozen earthquakes and they are still here).

But a lahar? A mud flow? It's hard to outrun a wall of mud and stone and trees 50 feet high moving faster than you can drive, especially if you are in one of the river valleys. While there is little risk in Seattle or even Tacoma that you'd have any significant damage due to a volcanic eruption, if you live in Orting or Puyallup or Auburn you're rolling the dice.

But you should still worry about getting attacked by a bear when you're jogging, like some guy did a couple of weeks ago.

And there was the lady who drowned in her own basement when there was a small mudslide in Seattle during the wind and rain storm last December.

And if you're driving across the 520 bridge, don't think about why they have to close it when the winds are over 40mph. Or why trucks can't use the left lane on the top of the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

[malarkey]

NICE, sean...!

Actually, as far as volcanoes go, you will have some warning. The ones around here are very closely tracked. IMHO, Yellowstone is more likely to blow before Rainier does, and if it does, uh, it will hose most of the US, if not the world.

Earthquakes, on the other hand, come outta nowhere, and can not be predicted in any way. Just hope like hell you aren't driving on the viaduct when it hits. Or on the 520 bridge.

[Chelsielea]

Wow. Well, this has all been very informational. Sure does make me nervous! Thanks for elaborating Sean!!!!

[GR8Scott]

Sorry to sound ignorant, but what is the viaduct? Can you also tell us more about the 520 bridge?

[Chelsielea]

Originally Posted by GR8Scott

Sorry to sound ignorant, but what is the viaduct? Can you also tell us more about the 520 bridge?

From what I know, the 520 bridge (also known as the Evergreen Floating Bridge) is one of the FLOATING bridges taking you between the eastside and downtown. It crosses Lake Washingon. It is one of two bridges that will take you downtown from the eastside, the other is 90 (I-90 Birdge) crosses lake Wa through Mercer Island. I guess the bridges are always busy and backed up and can make it really hard to commute, especially if they are closed for weather or whatever.

As far as the viaduct...check this out...
Alaskan Way Viaduct - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Chelsielea]

520 Bridge info:

Evergreen Point Floating Bridge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[GR8Scott]

Thanks, very informative.

[cobolt]

Glacier melt, volcanoes, earthquakes, bears, lots of rain, cloudy days, crazy drivers. Just another day. And in any other place, you'd have other things to contend with. You just learn to deal.

[Woof]

Volcanoes are easy to deal with compared to the ornery wild geese in the Seattle parks .... just take a gander at my current location to see how I handle volcanoes.