Coos Bay/ North Bend, Oregon living. (Portland, Astoria: construction, schools, cost)

[Code Stemi]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

I think the risk of tsunami wiping out the Oregon and Washington coast is too much to make living there wise.

Coos Bay Area is rather hilly and many areas in town would be protected from the water in this scenario, correct?
I see how it could damage the bay, boats, businesses and homes that sit on the waters edge, but for those who are not on the immediate water, it seems like they’d be affected less.

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by chahunt

Coos Bay Area is rather hilly and many areas in town would be protected from the water in this scenario, correct?
I see how it could damage the bay, boats, businesses and homes that sit on the waters edge, but for those who are not on the immediate water, it seems like they’d be affected less.

The State has tsunami maps for Coos Bay and every other town on the coast.

https://www.oregongeology.org/pubs/t...oosBayEvac.pdf
Tsunami Zone? We’ve Got an App for That…City of Coos Bay

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by chahunt

Coos Bay Area is rather hilly and many areas in town would be protected from the water in this scenario, correct?
I see how it could damage the bay, boats, businesses and homes that sit on the waters edge, but for those who are not on the immediate water, it seems like they’d be affected less.

Correct. In 2011 one of the worst tsunamis in modern history, triggered by the fourth most powerful earthquake in recorded history, caused only very minor damage to the Oregon Coast, including the Coos Bay Area. It messed up some boats and docks, and not much else. For some reason many Oregonians are obsessed with the threat of disasters of biblical proportions, that have virtually zero chance of ever happening in our lifetimes, or even after. There is nothing to worry about. Oregon is one of the safest states from natural disasters. Maybe one of the safest places in the world.

[PNW-type-gal]

That is definitely just a personal opinion, quite a bit short of fact. Just google "Cascadia Subduction Zone" and you'll find tons of links to professional papers and scientific opinion that detail the hazards and potential scenarios involving a large LOCAL earthquake and resultant tsunami and the hazards to roads, bridges, houses, utilities, etc.

You can, after reading the accumulated info, decide that you are willing to gamble on the timing of a large event, but please at least look through the info and make the decision on your own. I am actually at the coast, in Yachats, about 25' above sea level at the moment. While I know there is a serious risk of a massive tsunami, I also know that the odds of it happening the 10 days I am here are not high. I do have a "go bag" in the truck, I know the tsunami route, I keep my wallet and my laptop in a bag by the door at night.

But visiting the coast for a set period and deciding to live inside the tsunami zone are two different things.

[Metlakatla]

Really, it's not that hard to get a house outside of the tsunami zone in most of these coastal communities.

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Really, it's not that hard to get a house outside of the tsunami zone in most of these coastal communities.

Yes, it just won't be beachfront.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

Yes, it just won't be beachfront.

Beachfront is great for vacations and weekends but way overrated for daily living. Can't grow a decent garden, too many tourist types, and the marine layer often hangs around all day while it's clear and sunny just a little ways inland.

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Beachfront is great for vacations and weekends but way overrated for daily living. Can't grow a decent garden, too many tourist types, and the marine layer often hangs around all day while it's clear and sunny just a little ways inland.

Oh, I agree. It's amazing how many times you can drive down 101 and see sun on the inland side of the highway with fog on the seaward side. I would not want to own beachfront property. I'd rather let someone else own it and find an AirB&B when I want to visit the coast overnight. Which honestly is only when we have out of town guests. When it's just us we only do day trips.

But yes, the Oregon cost is mostly rugged enough that one can easily find property on high ground. There are probably a few exceptions like Rockaway Beach and Pacific City that are basically sitting in the tsunami zone. But most of the older and more established towns like Coos Bay occupy higher ground.

I think the most dangerously sited beach towns in the Pacific Northwest are Long Beach, Wesport and Ocean Shores WA across the bridge from Astoria. They are all on long low spits with only one road across bridges to escape.

[Code Stemi]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

The State has tsunami maps for Coos Bay and every other town on the coast.

https://www.oregongeology.org/pubs/t...oosBayEvac.pdf
Tsunami Zone? We’ve Got an App for That…City of Coos Bay

Interesting maps. It appears that the airport is completely vulnerable. Large areas of the town are in the green "safe zone", though. Including the local hospital.

Originally Posted by PNW-type-gal

That is definitely just a personal opinion, quite a bit short of fact. Just google "Cascadia Subduction Zone" and you'll find tons of links to professional papers and scientific opinion that detail the hazards and potential scenarios involving a large LOCAL earthquake and resultant tsunami and the hazards to roads, bridges, houses, utilities, etc.

You can, after reading the accumulated info, decide that you are willing to gamble on the timing of a large event, but please at least look through the info and make the decision on your own. I am actually at the coast, in Yachats, about 25' above sea level at the moment. While I know there is a serious risk of a massive tsunami, I also know that the odds of it happening the 10 days I am here are not high. I do have a "go bag" in the truck, I know the tsunami route, I keep my wallet and my laptop in a bag by the door at night.

But visiting the coast for a set period and deciding to live inside the tsunami zone are two different things.

You seem prepared. However, the "tsunami zone" would just be anything on the immediate water, or as such detailed on the links provided by texasdiver, correct? It seems as though it would be easy to avoid any risk of tsunami danger (to one's self) in the area if you live and work in a safe zone and knew the evacuation routes. (Should you be out and about). I also don't see how by chance the cascadia zone or a local quake were to occur, how it would directly affect my physical safety. If I lived in very old housing with poor building codes, then I could see how injury could occur. But in more modern housing I'd hope the building codes are up to date to be more resistant. I know they are in CA and NV at least. I suppose the roads would be damaged and some large trees may fall, but it seems unlikely that one would incur more than minor injuries. (unless you were unlucky enough that a tree fell on you or something). Risk exists with unknown circumstances in an earthquake, but I just can't imagine myself being seriously injured even in a 7.0 + quake. Then again, maybe I am very naive. I have minimal earthquake exposure, only experienced a few.

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Beachfront is great for vacations and weekends but way overrated for daily living. Can't grow a decent garden, too many tourist types, and the marine layer often hangs around all day while it's clear and sunny just a little ways inland.

Can you not grow a garden properly due to the marine layer? Does that last into the summer too? (If near or one the coast). How far inland do you have to travel to get sunshine and the ability to grow a garden during the spring and summer? I mean, does the main part of town have these spots.

Thanks for everyone's response. I'm considering relocating to this area for a job, in healthcare. I've visited once. I liked the town. I like the rain and the scenery, and need a change. A 30K metro doesn't seem terribly small. I am in my late twenties, are there many people around that age in Coos Bay Area to mingle with?

[pnwguy2]

Originally Posted by PNW-type-gal

That is definitely just a personal opinion, quite a bit short of fact. Just google "Cascadia Subduction Zone" and you'll find tons of links to professional papers and scientific opinion that detail the hazards and potential scenarios involving a large LOCAL earthquake and resultant tsunami and the hazards to roads, bridges, houses, utilities, etc.

You can, after reading the accumulated info, decide that you are willing to gamble on the timing of a large event, but please at least look through the info and make the decision on your own. I am actually at the coast, in Yachats, about 25' above sea level at the moment. While I know there is a serious risk of a massive tsunami, I also know that the odds of it happening the 10 days I am here are not high. I do have a "go bag" in the truck, I know the tsunami route, I keep my wallet and my laptop in a bag by the door at night.

But visiting the coast for a set period and deciding to live inside the tsunami zone are two different things.

Agree totally. Posts that are just wrong should be challenged. By all accounts the last mega tsunami was in 1700 along the wa and or coast. Scientists generally agree this happens every 300-500 years. So you see we are in the window of this happening.