Anniversary of the 2001 Nisqually Earthquake
23 years ago today, the magnitude 6.8 Nisqually earthquake shook the Pacific Northwest. People in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia experienced shaking that in some places lasted over a minute. The earthquake caused as much as $1–4 billion in property damage, and provided a stark reminder that Washington State is a geologically active place, and that everyone living in the Northwest should be ready for an earthquake.
Above: Images of damage from the 2001 Nisqually Earthquake from a variety of locations around southern Puget Sound. Learn more about the Nisqually earthquake in the May 2001 edition of Washington Geology (link). Photos by WGS staff.
Geologic hazards in Washington
Washington State has the potential for a range of geologic hazards, including earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis. The next time one of these hazards occurs, state and local emergency responders will be jumping into action to help those in need and begin recovery efforts. Scientists will also be responding, initially by helping provide critical information to first responders about the scope and impacts of the event, and later by collecting data to better understand what happened and how we can better protect communities from similar events in the future.
A plan for data collection
The most important data for geologists to document following a geologic hazard event come in the form of a variety of changes to the landscape that can be very short lived. These changes can be washed away by the next major rainstorm, or paved over when rebuilding efforts get underway, so time is limited to document these features. Combined with the potentially vast area affected, organizing a data collection effort will be logistically challenging.
That is why the Washington Geological Survey has developed a plan for how its staff and scientists, along with collaborators from other scientific and governmental organizations, will respond to future major geological disasters. This plan is detailed in the newly published Washington Geologic Hazards Clearinghouse Plan.
Washington Geologic Hazards Clearinghouse
The Clearinghouse is “a plan to facilitate rapid scientific investigation during and after geologic hazard events by gathering, disseminating, and archiving important and perishable geoscience information in support of emergency response efforts.”
Scientists who participate in the Hazards Clearinghouse will deploy to the field to collect and preserve critical data before it is destroyed by natural processes and human activity. Types of data that the Clearinghouse may collect include:
- Locations where the event did (and didn’t) change the land surface, and the nature of those changes
- Maps of areas where additional natural hazards may continue to pose a threat
- The extent and nature of surface-breaking fault movements
- Maps of how far inland tsunamis flooded
- Descriptions of the soil, sediment, and (or) rock involved in a major landslide
- The extent of deposits from a volcanic eruption
- Locations of damage to infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and buildings
By working together, scientists can collect data much more efficiently than if individual scientists worked separately.
Data collected during a Clearinghouse activation will be reviewed daily and compiled into a database that will be made freely available after the event. During Clearinghouse activities, data gathered by Clearinghouse scientists relevant to emergency responders will be summarized and communicated to the Incident Command Team, Emergency Mangers, and other relevant agencies to aid in response. Information shared by the Clearinghouse will help communicate the scope of the disaster to the public, and provide scientists with important data for understanding the event.
Learn more
The plan was published today on its own dedicated page on the Washington Geological Survey website (click here to view the webpage). During an activation, the Clearinghouse page will be updated with information about the geologic hazard event and the activities of the Clearinghouse.
If you are a scientist interested in participating in the Clearinghouse, or if you have questions about the Clearinghouse, please reach out via email: clearinghouse@dnr.wa.gov
WASHINGTON STATE GEOLOGY NEWS 