Earthquake Swarm Off the Coast of Oregon and California

One thing that many people in the Pacific Northwest are holding their breath for is “The Big One” — the next recurrence of a massive earthquake in the Cascadia Subduction zone. This earthquake could be greater than a magnitude 8 and cause immense damage to cities like Portland, Seattle and Vancouver. This hypothetical earthquake could even potentially trigger a tsunami that will cross the Pacific Ocean just like a similar temblor in 1700 did when waves washed ashore in Japan. It is a serious threat that could happen next week … or in 200 years.