This Earthquake Drowned the Pacific Northwest

This earthquake drowned the Pacific Northwest long ago—and there’s still evidence of it today.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Digital Producer
Saad Amer

Animation
Edgeworx Studios, LLC
Fluid Pictures

Poster Image
Earthquake Animation

©WGBH Educational Foundation 2017

[glennkon]

I used to dig huge holes for fun as a kid in my backyard, the home of which was comfortably on the top of a large ridge in West Van, in Vancouver, Canada. If I dug deep enough (around 80-100cm straight down) I would find a layer that was mostly sand with some organic particulate. That layer was about 15-20cm deep, and if I was lucky, I could find heavily aged seashells in it..

The shells, for me, said it plainly. At one point, in some way or another, the ocean had to have touched there and either continued to be there for a long period of time or that it must have arrived with great force. It is no small task, even for large, environmental disaster sized waves, to pick up and carry such a significant amount of debris, and to deposit it essentially on a ridgetop, high up from the current sea level.

I have no idea whether or not this has been confirmed by geologists in the area, but this was my experience in digging deep holes for no purpose other than unbridled, childhood interest.

[Amy-gnzw]

We were warned about New Orlean’s too. It happened and everyone seemed shocked without a plan. So yes, it will happen again.

[stul]

A similar event took place about 8, 000 years ago ( minutes in geologic time ) in a similar area and brought a 30' tidal wave almost 40 miles inland in Washington. Today - it would wipe out much of that area.

[generalkenobi]

Recent findings conclude that the Cascadia subduction zone is more complex and volatile than previously believed. In 2010, geologists predicted a 37 percent chance of an M8.2+ event within 50 years, and a 10 to 15 percent chance that the entire Cascadia subduction zone will rupture with an M9+ event within the same time frame. Geologists have also determined the Pacific Northwest is not prepared for such a colossal quake. The tsunami produced could reach heights of 80 to 100 feet (24 to 30 m).

[DfsOutlier]

of course it will happen again eventually, it's a subduction zone.

[gasaxe]

30 years ago I worked day and night beefing up buildings schools airports and government stuctures for this event.
It still hasn't happened but will when we least expect it.

[ReformedOrderPart]

I currently live in Seattle, WA. I lived in a place up on Capitol Hill just off of I-5 in having an insane view of downtown Seattle, Queen Anne Hill, the Space Needle, & parts of Lake Union. I awoke to see a fog based cloud formation that was literally a wall of thick clouds that looked like a giant tsunami that went as far as I COULD SEE from one end of town to the other. I had even taken a picture of it with my phone.

I had also had a dream in which I awoke, to find my bedroom carpet wet & water in my living room. Wasn't until I got there from the bedroom that I saw the tops of West Seattle & Queen Anne Hill as "islands" in only half of the Space Needle sticking up out of the still waters in just the stem of the structure

[wicked_deftlady]

Of course it will! Our beautiful planet is alive.

[thatguy]

The quake in Japan back in 2010 had something similar happen. Will never forget seeing that damage it has created. Such unbelievable force pushing cars and buildings. It Will be scary to see again on our coastline.

[awesomeferret]

It's tragic how many people in coastal cities delude themselves into thinking that the sea rising a few feet in a few hundred years is a huge deal when they don't seem to care about the fact that at any time, their entire city could become permanently underwater within a matter of minutes.

[GreenGretel]

This is the best visualization + description of subduction I've found!

[Aluminata]

"Will it happen again?" ? The question is when.

[freedomthroughspirit]

The answer is resoundingly yes. Beyond the obvious preparation, not much we can do. But it is fascinating how much the soil and trees reveal what happened and when (along with human records from Japan and the Native peoples, etc.).

[kerrbear]

This was too short. I feel like i need more information lol.

[rsgolden]

I saw something like this in a vision in 2009, while on the Central coast. In the vision I saw the edge of the ocean lift up hundred feet and Slam back down. As it slammed back down huge tidal waves crushed everything and destroyed the central coast. I was told to tell the people, but no one has listened. In 2016 I was told the Flood Cometh.

[demelof]

It kind of blows my mind that these layers of Rick have such a story to tell. I live in the sf bay area which has SO many different things going on geologically, and the more I understand it the more I see how the land's history is right there.

[leenaright]

Oroville Dam is 464 miles above Ridgecrest. If it fails, disastrous flooding and loss of life will occur. It is already close to maximum capacity.
I sincerely hope officials will make it a priority to check the structural health of the dam in the light of these two very strong quakes. 😐

[Pupyluv]

HAHA I love how they just end it with “Will it happen again?” with no explanation. Of course it will! 😂

[Jabootie-ozcb]

1969 -1979 Lived the now Haida Gwaii. Natives said Islands will crumble into the sea. How did they know the sheerness of the West Coast Queen Charlotte Islands? Google Maps, BIZARRE!

[alandugan]

Here on you tube, Professor Nick Zentner, a geology teacher at Central Washington Universty, is live streaming a geology 101 class. You can watch all his classes here on you tube. He talks about the work that Bryant Atwater is doing. They know an earthquake happened in 1700 because Japan was keeping written records. Japan recorded a tsunami in January of that year. They even have the time the quake happened. It is estimated the quake on the west coast near Washington state was a 9 on the Richter scale. Lots more info on Zentner’s channel. Zentner is a character and fun to learn from. It’s getting late and 2 drinks in but I’ll try to write an edit with the specific episode relating to this video soon.