Earlier this year, Oregon's "Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission" issued a report to the state legislature called the "Oregon Resilience Plan." It is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in preparedness -- especially in areas vulnerable to massive earthquakes (the entire west coast and the New Madrid Fault zone). Among the findings of Oregon's current state of non-readiness is anticipated time needed to recover basic services. For background, "The Valley" includes all of Oregon's major cities (Portland, Salem, Eugene):
ElectricityThe Valley: 1 - 3 months
Coast: 3 - 6 months
Water & SewerThe Valley: 1 month to 1 year
Coast: 1 - 3 years
Top Priority HighwaysThe Valley: 6 - 12 months
Healthcare facilitiesThe Valley: 18 months
Coast: 3 years
It was not until the 1980s that scientists began to discover that the Cascadia Subduction Zone is an active threat. When I lived there, no one was mindful of an earthquake threat. Since the 1990s, much has been discovered about the history of the CSZ and ever since more and more information emerges -- seemingly all of it more concerning than was previously known.
http://www.oregon.gov/OMD/OEM/osspac/docs/Oregon_Resilience_Plan_Executive_Summary_Final.pdf "Resilience gaps of this magnitude reveal a harsh truth: a policy of business as usual implies a post-earthquake future that could consist of decades of economic and population decline – in effect, a “lost generation” that will devastate our state and ripple beyond Oregon to affect the regional and national economy." .
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