How worried are you about earthquakes? (Portland: 2015, houses, construction)

[cafemocha]

Welp, this New Yorker article scared the crap out out of me. (There is also a follow-up article here.) Experts have not disputed the accuracy of the article and said it's essentially dead-on. Since I don't live in a zone susceptible to tsunamis, what is scariest to me is that Portland doesn't have strong enough seismic building standards so even buildings up to code aren't prepared for a 9.0 quake.

I don't want to live my life in fear and run for Kansas, but I am putting together an earthquake emergency kit and making sure I have a plan for how to react if one strikes. I have thought about maybe petitioning the city council for better standards and funding for earthquake preparedness -- there seems to be a lot of apathy here. Not sure what else to do.

How do other folks feel about it?

[urbanlife78]

Not worried, if it happens in my lifetime, it happens. Though nothing wrong with trying to be a little prepared.

[SETabor]

It doesn't keep me up nights. I do plan on getting my house seismically upgraded when I have extra cash and gather some water or something.

[Billy_J]

I'm not worried at all!

I've been through earthquakes and it is the same as being on a moving boat or moving vehicle while standing. Just be sure to not let anything falling hit you on the head. If you stand in a doorway or outside, nothing to fall on you!

And things DON'T SUDDENLY DISAPPEAR!

The cans of food are still in the supermarket and in your cupboards. Your clothes are still in the closet. The blankets are still on the bed! Your house is still there, if brick it may be in rubble, but wood construction will still be standing - maybe moved off its foundation. You can still walk inside, grab a can of food, and open it with a hand can opener!

You can build a wood fire to cook on.

You can get water out of the river/creek which will STILL be there! (Get drinking water tablets at a camping supply and a water filter hand pump.)

Better yet, go camping and get the stuff needed to go camping. You will be able to cook and so forth without electricity.

[ccjarider]

No - not worried

[Billy_J]

Your wood construction house may look like the following - you can STILL walk inside and get a can of food! (Or a blanket, or anything else.)

http://bayarearetrofit.com/wp-conten...but-intact.jpg

[cafemocha]

Originally Posted by Billy_J

I'm not worried at all!

I've been through earthquakes and it is the same as being on a moving boat or moving vehicle while standing. Just be sure to not let anything falling hit you on the head. If you stand in a doorway or outside, nothing to fall on you!

And things DON'T SUDDENLY DISAPPEAR!

The cans of food are still in the supermarket and in your cupboards. Your clothes are still in the closet. The blankets are still on the bed! Your house is still there, if brick it may be in rubble, but wood construction will still be standing - maybe moved off its foundation. You can still walk inside, grab a can of food, and open it with a hand can opener!

You can build a wood fire to cook on.

You can get water out of the river/creek which will STILL be there! (Get drinking water tablets at a camping supply and a water filter hand pump.)

Better yet, go camping and get the stuff needed to go camping. You will be able to cook and so forth without electricity.

I don't think you realize that any of the earthquakes you've been in are much smaller than the sort of earthquake that would strike the Cascadia Subduction Zone. It produces 9.0 earthquakes. The way the scale of earthquakes work means that the strongest earthquake the San Andreas fault is capable of producing is only 6% as strong as a 9.0 earthquake, which is what could happen just to the west of Portland.

Second, where did you experience these earthquakes? In California, where building codes are much more strict than Portland, which has very weak building codes for earthquakes? There's no comparison. Buildings here aren't meant withstand earthquakes. In California, they are.

Third, the advice to stand in a doorway is flat out incorrect. You are supposed to duck under a sturdy piece of furniture, like a table. Doorways in modern houses aren't safe to stand in during an earthquake. If you happen to live in an adobe hut, then by all means, stand in the doorway.

You are being very glib. It's this sort of ignorance that is to blame for Portland being so woefully underprepared.

[58rhodes]

Originally Posted by cafemocha

I don't think you realize that any of the earthquakes you've been in are much smaller than the sort of earthquake that would strike the Cascadia Subduction Zone. It produces 9.0 earthquakes. The way the scale of earthquakes work means that the strongest earthquake the San Andreas fault is capable of producing is only 6% as strong as a 9.0 earthquake, which is what could happen just to the west of Portland.

Second, where did you experience these earthquakes? In California, where building codes are much more strict than Portland, which has very weak building codes for earthquakes? There's no comparison. Buildings here aren't meant withstand earthquakes. In California, they are.

Third, the advice to stand in a doorway is flat out incorrect. You are supposed to duck under a sturdy piece of furniture, like a table. Doorways in modern houses aren't safe to stand in during an earthquake. If you happen to live in an adobe hut, then by all means, stand in the doorway.

You are being very glib. It's this sort of ignorance that is to blame for Portland being so woefully underprepared.

hey we all die someday

[nightlysparrow]

It sure makes me feel better about the San Andreas Fault here in SoCal

[SETabor]

A 9 at the coast is what, a 7 something in Portland? Just to the west is a whole mountain range away.