Newport News-Times: Commissioners ink historic agreement

Newport News-Times: Commissioners ink historic agreement: "Natural hazards experts say the Pacific Northwest could endure an earthquake along the Cascadia subduction zone, a 600-mile underwater fault zone nearly identical to the 600-mile fault that snapped offshore near Indonesia at the end of 2004. A large earthquake along the Oregon coast would likely trigger multiple landslides, take out utilities, and buckle highways. The ensuing tsunamis, the first of which could arrive in as few as 15 minutes following a local quake, could bring waves that build to 30 feet or higher washing over the coast at speeds of 20 miles per hour or faster. The waves could threaten the coast for eight hours or more, with the largest waves arriving hours after the initial one, significantly damaging infrastructure - dock facilities, bridges, buildings, coastal developments, as well as ships and boats caught in the harbors. As the water from each wave rushed back out to sea, it would carry logs, rocks, beams, oil, and other toxic debris, causing additional damage. The flood of seawater would also have profound effects on marine and land habitats."