Slog
News & ArtsWednesday, January 13, 2010
News We're Long Overdue
Posted by Dan Savage on Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 9:12 AM
Haiti yesterday:
The earthquake that devastated Haiti Tuesday was the strongest temblor to hit the island nation in more than 200 years. The magnitude 7.0 quake caused tremendous damage that officials have yet to fully characterize, and the death toll may run into the thousands.... The Haiti earthquake occurred at a fault that runs right through Haiti and is situated along the boundary between the Caribbean and North American plates, which are rocky slabs that cover the planet and fit together like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
Seattle tomorrow?
The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a giant fault running off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. It is where the Juan de Fuca plate slides under the North American plate. When stress builds up between the plates an earthquake goes off sometimes accompanied by tsunamis. It's one of the biggest dangers towards Seattle. The last time it went off was in 1700.
The 30-mile-long fault runs through the heart of Seattle and Bellevue. In the past 3,000 years, it has violently rearranged the local landscape as many as four times—or every 750 years, on average. The last of those quakes came 1,100 years ago, and geologists estimate there's at least a 5 percent chance the fault will let loose again within the next 50 years.
2
Gee, is that why you've been telling us to move into high density condos in downtown for the past 3 years?
Gee, is that why you've been telling us to move into high density condos in downtown for the past 3 years?
3
@ 2, at least those high density condos are up to code.
@ Dan, you're irrational paranoia is showing...
@ Dan, you're irrational paranoia is showing...
6
we have buildings that are largely up to modern codes, with older homes made of flexible, strong old growth wood. haiti (and pakistan, and western china) is built out of graft and shit.
people will die in our quake, but more will die on the fucking viaduct than in seattle houses.
people will die in our quake, but more will die on the fucking viaduct than in seattle houses.
8
The video of Port au Prince completely obscured by concrete dust reminded me of the plume from our purposeful implosion of the Kingdome, and of the future of our blessed viaduct, may she stand just long enough.
10
"Thousands die in Haiti. Dan Savage tells you why you might be next. Also, what do you have to fear from your toilet? Tune in at 11."
11
Personally, you'd be better off being concerned about the active volcano and the fact it's going to go soon, sending hot boiling mud over all your precious low income homes in the valley.
In terms of actual risks. Beyond 7.0 there isn't much you can do.
In terms of actual risks. Beyond 7.0 there isn't much you can do.
12
If you could choose to sit in a chair that caused there to be a 5% chance that someone would put a high-powered armor-piercing round through a random portion of your anatomy, would you sit there? I wouldn't, but that's me.
I've lived through one (California) earthquake, and although it was a small one it was plenty for me. It's been nothing but major earthquake-free zones ever since.
I've lived through one (California) earthquake, and although it was a small one it was plenty for me. It's been nothing but major earthquake-free zones ever since.
13
@12 - how are the tornadoes, hurricanes, locust plagues and droughts treating you?
Safety is an illusion.
Safety is an illusion.
14
As a public service to SLOG, remember BE PREPARED!
Have a mini-earthquake kit ready at your office/work space, home and car. You will most likely be at one of those places when it hits. A rudimentary kit/bag will have a whistle, small water bottle, face mask (to prevent breathing dust in the aftermath), a flashlight and some bandages/alcohol wipes. Dan is correct, the Puget Sound area is due for a major tremblor between now and 30 years from now. The next one should be 100 times stronger (between 7.5 & 9.0 on the Richter scale) and twice as long (between 1 and 3 minutes) as the Nisqually Quake of 2001. There will be significant damage & casualties. Seriously Sloggers, be prepared. Check the American Red Cross website for more info on preparation and donations especially to the Haitian Disaster.
Have a mini-earthquake kit ready at your office/work space, home and car. You will most likely be at one of those places when it hits. A rudimentary kit/bag will have a whistle, small water bottle, face mask (to prevent breathing dust in the aftermath), a flashlight and some bandages/alcohol wipes. Dan is correct, the Puget Sound area is due for a major tremblor between now and 30 years from now. The next one should be 100 times stronger (between 7.5 & 9.0 on the Richter scale) and twice as long (between 1 and 3 minutes) as the Nisqually Quake of 2001. There will be significant damage & casualties. Seriously Sloggers, be prepared. Check the American Red Cross website for more info on preparation and donations especially to the Haitian Disaster.
17
Well my choice is to leave this scary chair and move to New Orleans. Oh wait...
I could move to SF.
Oh wait....
I could move to Kansas. Oh wait, remember Dorothy?
I could move to NYC. Oh wait they have muggers there....
I could move to Wyoming. Oh wait the hospital will be 40 miles away.....
Your risk equation is incomplete everything is relative.
Also this is the price of the beauty, if you want to live in safety you will likely find it's extremely boring and not worth it.
I could move to SF.
Oh wait....
I could move to Kansas. Oh wait, remember Dorothy?
I could move to NYC. Oh wait they have muggers there....
I could move to Wyoming. Oh wait the hospital will be 40 miles away.....
Your risk equation is incomplete everything is relative.
Also this is the price of the beauty, if you want to live in safety you will likely find it's extremely boring and not worth it.
19
so intead of DBT for $4 billion shouldn't we spend money on having local clinics in every neighborhood in Seattle, with lists -- on paper, not on computers-- of every doctor and nurse living within the area? it is likely all the roads and bridges will be out and you will not even be able to crawl to harborview thru the rubble.
what's the point of earthquake proofing 99 thru downtown if everything else will be rubble?
what's the point of earthquake proofing 99 thru downtown if everything else will be rubble?
20
Yessir, we're on the same page with that, Lark.
I "roll my own" ammo, so there's never any shortage of ammo. Once you set aside the time to sit down and start the press rolling, it's kind of dumb to quit before you've cranked out a fair number of rounds. Multiply that by 30 guns and, well, you get the idea.
As for booze, well, what can I say? You can never have enough of that.
I "roll my own" ammo, so there's never any shortage of ammo. Once you set aside the time to sit down and start the press rolling, it's kind of dumb to quit before you've cranked out a fair number of rounds. Multiply that by 30 guns and, well, you get the idea.
As for booze, well, what can I say? You can never have enough of that.
22
@14 has good advice.
Basically, all you need is water and a hand crank radio and some bandage material and a whistle - preferably in each room.
The rest is nice, but not essential. You can survive 30 days without food, but only 3 days without water.
In a pinch, reuse ....
Basically, all you need is water and a hand crank radio and some bandage material and a whistle - preferably in each room.
The rest is nice, but not essential. You can survive 30 days without food, but only 3 days without water.
In a pinch, reuse ....
23
Yeah, I heard the Juan de Fuca plate will cause a massive quake at anytime between now and 200 years from now. Sometimes whenever I go over a bridge, I think "Eeeee, not now, not now, not now ... okay, phew."
I also heard that this area has around 1000 mini earthquakes every year (too small to feel), and that is a good thing. I guess it releases a lot of tension around the Pacific Northwest plate and Juan de Fuca. Or I don't know, I'm no seismologist.
http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~leeman/Cascadia…
There you go.
I also heard that this area has around 1000 mini earthquakes every year (too small to feel), and that is a good thing. I guess it releases a lot of tension around the Pacific Northwest plate and Juan de Fuca. Or I don't know, I'm no seismologist.
http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~leeman/Cascadia…
There you go.
26
@10
Yes, because this horrible tragedy in Haiti makes Dan immediately think: "Well, what about ME in Seattle?! Too bad and all about those dying poor people but, my god, this could happen to ME too! That's the worst part!" How compassionate. And mature. Didn't even take him a full 24 hours before he took it back to "ME." Why am I not surprised though?
Yes, because this horrible tragedy in Haiti makes Dan immediately think: "Well, what about ME in Seattle?! Too bad and all about those dying poor people but, my god, this could happen to ME too! That's the worst part!" How compassionate. And mature. Didn't even take him a full 24 hours before he took it back to "ME." Why am I not surprised though?
27
Oh, come on, Connie, is that the best you can do? Can you honestly say that thought didn't occur to you too?
I'm all for giving Danny Boy a ration of shit when it's deserved (and it's deserved in this case, but for different reasons than what you bring up), but you've got to cut the guy some slack sometimes too.
Good morning, by the way.
I'm all for giving Danny Boy a ration of shit when it's deserved (and it's deserved in this case, but for different reasons than what you bring up), but you've got to cut the guy some slack sometimes too.
Good morning, by the way.
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