EARTHQUAKESBy Mataya Christensen, Scott Center

and Ashlie Higgins

42 of the 50 states have a reasonable chance of having an earthquake. 16 of these states have a high likelihood of “damaging shaking.”

TOP FIVE: The Pacific Northwest, New Madrid, SALT LAKE CITY, Alaska, & Hawaii.

One of the worst Natural Disasters in the History of the United States, and the greatest loss of lives from any other natural disasters in CA.

Magnitude 7.8 Over 3,000 deaths 80% of San Francisco destroyed Shaking was felt from Oregon to Los Angeles,

and inland as far as central Nevada 227,000 and 300,000 people were left homeless 28,000 buildings destroyed Over 400 million dollars worth of damage

San Francisco Earthquake of 1906Although California high earthquake activity, it is not necessarily the most dangerous area. Some faults are capable of producing quakes bigger than the 1906 San Francisco quake, but because the time between major jolts is longer than in California, many people who live near these faults don’t even know they are there.

Cascadia Subduction Zone and The New Madrid

Cascadia Zone is located 50 miles offshore of Oregon, Washington state and southern British Columbia 680 miles long and capable of producing 3 times more powerful then the worst of San Andreas fault

In 1811 and 1812, a swarm of at least three massive earthquakes struck near New Madrid, the largest of which exceeded a magnitude 8 and caused violent, damaging shaking in an area 10 times larger than did the 1906 earthquake. The quake was felt over an area of two million square miles — nearly two-thirds of the country.

Statistics Scientists have calculated that

these “mega earthquakes” happen about every 270 years.

Its been 308 years since the last “mega earthquake.”

The probability of having another 8 magnitude earthquake or higher in the next 50 years is 75%

Utah Utah is home to one of the world’s longest

"normal" faults, where the land on one side of the fault drops down relative to the other side during an earthquake. (during prehistoric times the fault slipped as much as 10 ft. from one quake.)

the 240-mile Wasatch Fault lies underneath Salt Lake City and the state’s urban corridor, home to 1.6 million people.

Over the last 17 million years, the fault has experienced almost seven miles of slip

Wasatch Fault The Wasatch fault (highlighted

in purple) is the longest (240 miles) and the most tectonically active fault in Utah.

Most of Utah’s population lives along this fault according to www.livescience.com the number is 75%.

Note the North South direction of the faults in Utah and the Great Basin.

The subsiding side of the Wasatch Fault is the Salt Lake Valley and runs under the Great Salt Lake. The Oquirrh Mountains are a result of the Oquirrh fault.

Oquirrh Fault The Oquirrh fault, a 19 mile

normal fault runs in a north south direction. The Toole Valley and Oquirrh Mountains were created from The Oquirrh Fault.

This type of faulting and seismic activity has been repeated throughout the Great Basin in Utah and eastern Nevada.

• The upper left hand image is a Normal Fault. This is what the Wasatch Fault is and how it moves to form the Wasatch Mountains and the Salt Lake Valley.

• The Middle image is another Highlighted map of the Wasatch Fault. • 240 miles• Extends from Malad City, Idaho to Fayette, Utah• Divided into 25 mile segments

• The upper right hand image is a model drawing of how the Great Basin was formed. • Basin and Range Province. • The rock slabs on the east side of the faults rise while the slabs on the west

drop causing the Mountain-Valley effect which is typical of the Great Basin.• The image on the lower right is a photo of the Great Basin which extends from the

Wasatch Mountains to the foot of the Sierra Nevada’s. The wave pattern is caused by the direction at which the fault lines lay.

Seen here is a model of a Normal Fault such as the Wasatch Fault. One slab of rock during a quake moves upward and the opposite moves downward creating mountains and valleys which is typical of the Salt Lake Valley and the Great Basin. The Wasatch Mountains, Oquirrh Mountains, Salt Lake Valley and Tooele Valley are all examples of how in geological time, mountains and valleys are formed due to seismic activity.

Hebgen Lake Earthquake August 17, 1959 Measuring 7.3-7.5 Mw Killing 28 people and causing $88.7 million in damage Had several aftershocks from 5.8 to 6.3 This is the size and type of quake we can expect on the Wasatch

Front. The Wasatch Front and the adjacent areas are significantly more populace and developed, therefore the damage would be much greater.

The quake in this image hit a very remote area of Montana.

Scientists say Utah's Wasatch Front faces a 1-in-7 chance of being hit by a magnitude-7.0 earthquake sometime in the next 50 years.

If it hits at the worst-possible time — in the middle of a winter night — government computer models estimate that it could kill about 3,000 people, injure another 42,000, damage more than a third of all buildings and cause at least $35 billion in economic loss.

More than 60,000 people would need public shelter during freezing temperatures. Most power, water and communications would be out initially, and may not be restored in some areas for months. Fires could be widespread.

Emergency Kit & Disaster Plan

Earthquakes are not a frequent occurrence. However, they can be very disruptive because they occur suddenly and tend to affect large areas.

Earthquakes can be a one-time event of a few seconds shaking or a series of events of varying duration.

Because earthquakes happen without warning, being prepared in advance is critical to minimize

damages and loss. Consider these earthquake safety tips:

Before an Earthquake

Know your risk. Retrofit and reinforce your house. Create a disaster plan to protect

yourself and your family. Put together an emergency kit.

You'll need at least four gallons of drinking water per person for a week.

During an Earthquake

Stay away from windows and furniture that could potentially fall over. One of the biggest hazards during an earthquake is falling debris and furniture.

Take cover in a safe place in your house.

Do not try and go outside until after the shaking stops.

After an Earthquake Be prepared for aftershocks. These can last for days or

even weeks after a major earthquake. Check your gas lines and make sure there are no leaks. Check for damaged electrical wiring. Shut off the

power if you see damaged wiring in your house. Keep your shoes on. Don't walk around barefoot until

you're sure the floor is clean and safe. Document the damage for insurance purposes.

Stock up now on emergency supplies that can be used after an earthquake. Store enough supplies to last at least 3 days.

First Aid Kit

Store your first aid supplies in a tool box or fishing tackle box so they will be easy to carry and protected from water. Inspect your kit regularly and keep it freshly stocked. NOTE: Important medical information and most prescriptions can be stored in the refrigerator, which also provides excellent protection from fires.

Drugs & Medications Hydrogen peroxide to wash and

disinfect wounds Antibiotic ointment Individually wrapped alcohol

swabs Aspirin and non-aspirin tablets Prescriptions and any long-term

medications (keep these current) Diarrhea medicine Eye drops Dressings

Bandage strips Ace bandages Rolled gauze Cotton-tipped swabs Adhesive tape roll Other First Aid Supplies

First aid book Scissors Tweezers Thermometer Bar soap Tissues Sunscreen Paper cups Pocket knife Small plastic bags Safety pins Needle and thread Instant cold packs for sprains Sanitary napkins Splinting materials

Survival Kit for Your Home Tools and supplies

ax, shovel, broom screwdriver, pliers, hammer, adjustable wrench rope for towing or rescue plastic sheeting and tape Items for safety and comfort

sturdy shoes that can provide protection from broken glass, nails, and other debris

gloves (heavy and durable for cleaning up debris) candles waterproof matches change of clothing knife garden hose (for siphoning and firefighting) tent recreational supplies for children and adults blankets or sleeping bags portable radio, flashlight, and extra batteries essential medications and eyeglasses fire extinguisher -- multipurpose, dry chemical type food and water for pets toilet tissue cash

Survival Kit for Your Automobile

Blankets Bottled water Change of clothes Coins for telephone calls Fire extinguisher --

multipurpose, dry chemical type

First aid kit and manual Emergency signal device

(light sticks, battery-type flasher, reflector, etc.)

Flashlight with fresh batteries

Food (nonperishable -- nutrition bars, trail mix, etc.)

Gloves Local map and compass

Rope for towing, rescue, etc.

Paper and pencils Premoistened towelettes Prescription medicines Battery-operated radio

with fresh batteries Small mirror for signaling Toilet tissue Tools (pliers, adjustable

wrench, screwdriver, etc.) Whistle for signaling Jumper cables Duct tape

Survival Kit for Your Workplace

Food (nonperishable -- nutrition bars, trail mix, etc.)

Bottled water Jacket or sweatshirt Pair of sturdy shoes Flashlight with fresh batteries Battery-operated radio with fresh batteries Essential medications Blanket Small first aid kit Extra pair of eyeglasses and/or contact lens

solution Whistle or other signaling device

Sources (URL’s) http://

www.seis.utah.edu/edservices/EES/ActiveFaultInfo.shtml

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705359039/70-earthquake-If-the-big-one-hits-Utahs-Wasatch-front.html?pg=all

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=20036872 http://earthquaketrack.com/r/utah/recent http://

www.sltrib.com/news/2404222-155/before-the-big-one-hits-get

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/07/140717-usgs-earthquake-maps-disaster-risk-science/

http://www.wired.com/2008/10/five-us-earthqu/