Geologists have long told residents it’s not a matter of if a cataclysmic earthquake will strike the Northwest, but when, and if people are caught unprepared the consequences could be devastating.
As such, the state will stage the Great Oregon ShakeOut at 10:21 a.m. Oct. 17 to, as a release from the Oregon Office of Emergency Management says, to invite the state’s residents to join in a drill to “simulate the response to an earthquake with the ‘Drop, Cover and Hold On’ method for 60 seconds.’”
With the knowledge that the Cascadia Subduction Zone, a crashing of two tectonic plates off the coast of Oregon and Washington, could release at any moment and generate a 9.0-plus magnitude earthquake and attendant tsunami, the OEM is “encouraging residents to learn and practice safe actions” that include dropping onto your hands and knees; covering your head and neck and, if nearby, crawl under a study desk or table and hold on until the shaking stops.”
“Understanding what to do in the first few moments of an earthquake can mean the difference between surviving or not,” OEM Director Erin McMahon said. “Building a culture of preparedness in Oregon requires each of us to take proactive steps and participating in the Great Oregon ShakeOut is a simple yet impactful way to reduce risk.”