I was just about to start a new thread focusing on the U.S. west coast's prospects. Will fold that into this thread. I looked last night at the "Ring of Fire" history of quakes and the 600-mile subduction zone along the Pacific Northwest is conspicuously devoid of major quakes in recorded history (the last was an estimated 9.0 in January 1700).

Tick-tock, tick-tock....

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/121662/2...noaa-japan.htm#


"...a major quake along the Oregon fault could produce tsunami waves of up to 98 feet (30 meters) high. Previous calculations had pointed to the possibility of tsunami waves of only 50 feet (15 meters)."


Japan's experienced the perfect storm, the one-two-three punch of quake/tsunami/nuclear. The Pacific Northwest at least doesn't have the nuclear plant presence that Japan has and I don't think any of them are vulnerable to tsunami waves. California's nuclear plants seem more vulnerable, and plentiful.

I'm curious how many nuclear plants in the midwest and east could be affected by a major quake along the New Madrid fault..... Japan is the leader on quake-resistant construction and I heard on the radio that the nuclear plant currently in crisis was built to withstand a 7.4 or so quake and it's tsunami preps anticipated a wave half the height of what occurred on Friday. Those standards seemed prudent to the engineers at the time, based on known historical seismicity.

What strikes me about so much of the Japan videos are that hundreds of thousands of survivors have only the clothes on their back and the shoes on their feet.

First priority is not to be pummeled by falling rubble or glass shook loose by aftershocks or, if in a tsunami-vulnerable area, not drown in subsequent waves.

Walking is your primary means of transportation, unless you have a bicycle or motorcycle handy. Roads probably impassable or gridlocked, at the least.

Are the local-regional radio and TV stations even functioning? Maybe not.

First Aid stations may not be set up for days. The local-regional first responders were also in the quake zone and have their own survival issues to sort through.

Have to find water, quick. Underground water pipes have surely ruptured, the water treatment plant may be damaged or without power. Pumping stations may be without power.

Did the quake occur on a sunny, mild day? Or is it cold? Or hot and humid? Are storms forecast?

Shelter-water-food. Start walking and keep alert.

If my SUV survived and is accessible, then I've got in it a couple days of water, a few days of food and extra clothes, first aid and much more.

Great discussion, thanks. All these disasters should result in an after-action memo for everyone. There are always lessons to learn and heed.