The Great Oregon ShakeOut earthquake drill is almost here and it’s time to think about what you would do during an earthquake.
The world’s largest earthquake drill is Oct. 17 at 10:17 a.m., and more than 600,000 Oregonians are already registered. You can register at shakeout.org to participate and be counted.
Oregon is earthquake country. In 1993 western Oregon experienced two damaging earthquakes, Scotts Mills (magnitude 5.6) and Klamath Falls (magnitudes 5.9 and 6). Molalla High School and the State Capitol building were severely damaged.
In addition to those crustal fault earthquakes, there is evidence that a massive subduction zone earthquake will happen off the coast from Northern California to British Columbia with force similar to that which hit Indonesia in 2004, and Japan in 2011, during subduction zone earthquakes and tsunamis.
By preparing now for future earthquakes, we can protect our homes and families.
Great ShakeOut earthquake drills are an opportunity to practice how to be safer during earthquakes by knowing how to “Drop, Cover and Hold On.” ShakeOut organizers say that to react quickly you must practice often. You may only have seconds to protect yourself in an earthquake, before strong shaking knocks you down or drops something on you.
To learn more about earthquakes in Oregon and how to prepare, visit the Oregon Office of Emergency Management website.
