In the open ocean, tsunami waves can travel at speeds up to 500 miles an hour, as fast as a … Oregon Wrestles With Building Critical Facilities in Tsunami Zones. For example, about AD 1700, a tsunami caused by an earthquake on the Cascadia Subduction Zone flooded marches landward of Yaquina Bay and other Oregon bays. A tsunami is a series of waves, not just a single wave. Scientists have finally traced the origins of this ‘orphan tsunami’ to a powerful seismic event in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, along the Cascadia Subduction Zone. In the past century, several damaging tsunamis have struck the Pacific Northwest coast (Northern California, Oregon, and Washington). During a news conference in Newport the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) released the new tsunami evacuation brochures for 12 communities in Lincoln County. Sooner or later the offshore Cascadia fault zone is going to unleash a monster earthquake and tsunami. Oregon State University’s Marine Studies Building, under construction in a tsunami inundation zone, is viewed from the Yaquina Bay Bridge in Newport, Ore., on July 22, 2019. WHAT TO EXPECT IN A LOCAL TSUNAMI EVENT: • Local effects of the earthquake, volcano, or landslide which may have caused the tsunami with ground shaking and property damage. The tsunami warning sirens are designed to notify those who are outdoors in low lying areas or on the beaches. Like Japan, a subduction zone lies off the coast of Oregon… … The Oregon Legislature appears poised to continue to allow construction of critical facilities in tsunami inundation zones, a move slammed by critics. Geologists know tsunamis have affected large areas in the past because tsunami-deposited sand has been found here and in other coastal lowlands in Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and northernmost California. California tsunami inundation maps . Some coastal communities said the ban stifled development, since there’s little room to build inland. Oregon tsunami hazard maps on DOGAMI's website . On February 27th 2010 a magnitude 8.8 "mega thrust" or subduction zone earthquake occurred off the central coast of Chile generating a Tsunami that claimed hundreds of lives. Last year, Oregon lawmakers removed a ban on building critical infrastructure in tsunami zones…things like police and fire departments, schools and hospitals. Most other countries in the world prone to tsunamis have a land-use philosophy in which construction of certain structures are banned depending on their proximity to tsunami inundation zones. In this July 22, 2019, photo, Oregon State University's Marine Studies Building, which is under construction in a tsunami inundation zone, is seen from the Yaquina Bay Bridge in Newport, Ore. The Oregon Legislature appears poised to continue to allow construction of critical facilities in tsunami inundation zones, a move slammed by critics. A full list of tsunami evacuation maps, information, and links to the tsunami smart phone app can be found at Evacuation Brochures and Apps. The new article was prompted by passage of HB 3309, the new Oregon law that once again allows building “new public facilities” in the state’s tsunami-inundation zone. (AP Photo/Andrew Selsky, File) FILE - In this July 22, 2019, file photo, Oregon State University's Marine Studies Building, which is under construction in a tsunami inundation zone, is viewed from the Yaquina Bay Bridge in Newport, Ore. (AP File Photo/Andrew Selsky) “It’s just probably best not to put things into the tsunami zone at all, no matter how strongly they build them,” Goldfinger said in a telephone interview. We distinguish between a tsunami caused by undersea earthquakes near the Oregon coast (a local tsunami) and an undersea earthquake far away from the coast (a distant tsunami). The creativity and collaboration of the design team showed from design through construction of the building that it is a model for the industry and provided the public with an education on practical engineering to make resilient structures in a hazardous area. Tsunami maps - public Evacuation and inundation. The Cascadia subduction zone ... and tsunami drill in the Pacific Northwest around the premise of a 9.0 magnitude earthquake 95 miles off of the coast of Oregon that resulted in a tsunami. Vancouver Island in Canada’s British Columbia province was slammed by the 1700 tsunami. Official Website of Gold Beach, Oregon City Hall 29592 Ellensburg Ave. Gold Beach, OR 97444 This work uses tsunami inundation and evacuation maps produced by the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI). MAPS: Local and Distant Public Evacuation and Inundation Maps at Oregon Tsunami Clearinghouse - www.oregontsunami.org A magnitude 9.0 earthquake occurs along the Cascadia subduction zone once every 300-500 years. Oregon became a leader in tsunami preparedness when the Legislature, in 1995, banned construction of certain public facilities in inundation zones. When a massive tsunami hit the northeast coast of Japan in 2011, waves of water overtopped sea walls, swallowed buildings and surged higher than anticipated.One thing those images prompted was a reexamination of the tsunami risk in the Pacific Northwest. The Oregon Coast lies along the Cascadia subduction zone, a fault line that stretches from Northern California to British Columbia. During the March 11, 2011 tsunami warning many people were not aware if they live in an inundation zone. The Oregon Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has developed the below educational video to inform visitors to the Oregon coast about tsunami safety. This is an effort according to county emergency manager Jenny Demaris to Inundate Lincoln County with the information they need to be prepared in. Oregon, however, abandoned that approach last year when the Legislature, with hardly any discussion, repealed a ban enacted in 1995 on construction of certain public facilities in inundation zones. Anyone may see where they live in relation to the tsunami inundation zone by visiting the web link below. Oregon became a leader in tsunami preparedness when the Legislature, in 1995, banned construction of certain public facilities in inundation zones. Oregon Wrestles With Building Facilities in Tsunami Zones Experts say the big one is coming to the Pacific Northwest: a massive earthquake that will … Tsunami generated by a ~9.2 magnitude Cascadia earthquake in 1700 along a ~600 mile long fault from Vancouver Island, British Columbia to northern California. Oregon became a leader in tsunami preparedness when the Legislature, in 1995, banned construction of certain public facilities in inundation zones. • Evacuation of the coastal tsunami inundation zone areas by officials. All of these tsunamis were distant tsunamis generated from earthquakes located far across the Pacific basin and are distinguished from tsunamis generated by earthquakes near the coast—termed local tsunamis. Oregon became a leader in tsunami preparedness when the Legislature, in 1995, banned construction of certain public facilities in inundation zones. Cannon Beach hit by tsunami as shown by OSU wave lab Researchers at Oregon State University run a test modeling the effects of a tsunami hitting Cannon Beach. The last 9.0 earthquake on the Cascadia Subduction Zone in January of the year 1700 generated a tsunami along the Oregon Coast - and sent a tsunami crashing into Japan hours late. The Cascadia subduction zone is similar to the subduction zone that caused Japan’s recent earthquake and tsunami. The Oregon Legislature has repealed a nearly 25-year-old law prohibiting new schools, hospitals, jails, and police and fire stations from being built in the state’s tsunami inundation zone. The Oregon Coastal Management Program (OCMP) is coordinating with coastal communities to help them prepare for a local Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) tsunami through land use planning. In this July 22, 2019, file photo, Oregon State University’s Marine Studies Building, which is under construction in a tsunami inundation zone, is viewed from the Yaquina Bay Bridge in Newport, Ore. (Andrew Selsky/The Associated Press) Local Tsunamis A local tsunami can come onshore within 15 to 20 minutes after the earthquake - before there is time for an official warning from the national warning system. “It's just probably best not to put things into the tsunami zone at all, no matter how strongly they build them,” Goldfinger said in a telephone interview. The Tohoku tsunami inundated coastal communities in Oregon, causing millions of dollars in damages. Lessons Learned from recent Tsunami. • County and or state highways closed in the tsunami inundation zone. Developing an academic structure in a tsunami inundation zone was unheard of and for some an impossible endeavor to make it safe. You can also check out the Interactive Tsunami Evacuation Map that covers the entire Pacific Northwest. NVS provides easy access to observation, forecasts, data, and visualizations.