The 6.3 magnitude earthquake registered 188 miles from the western coast of the US today, but no tsunami warning has yet been issued by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
More than 10 earthquakes, ranging from 2.8 to 6.3 have recently hit the area, all occurring on the seabed of the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate, six miles from the surface.
USGS has not issued any warnings over the recent earthquakes as it is an active tectonic plate, but some experts have claimed it to be a warning that the ‘Big One’ is coming.
The ‘Big One’ is a hypothetical earthquake of magnitude 9 or greater that is expected to happen along the San Andreas Fault in California, south of the Cascadia subduction zone at some point.
What is the Cascadia Subduction Zone?
The Cascadia subduction zone is an almost 700 mile-long convergent plate boundary that stretches from northern Vancouver Island to Cape Mendocino in California.
It separates the Juan de Fuca plate and the North America plates, including the San Andreas Fault.
In 2008 scientists found a correlation between seismic events on the Northern San Andreas Fault and the southern part of the Cascadia subduction zone.
The San Andreas fault is a fault that extends roughly 745 miles through California.
The Juan de Fuca plate will eventually be shoved beneath the San Andreas plate and will create a ‘megathrust’ earthquake.
Subduction Zone earthquakes are the largest earthquakes in the world and are the only zone that can produce quakes greater than magnitude 8.5.
Why is Cascadia Subduction Zone important for the US West Coast after the 6.3 magnitude earthquake today?
Today’s 6.3 magnitude earthquake has sparked fear the ‘Big One’ could hit anytime now.
If the earthquake hits, it can cause a devastating tsunami of 85ft high waves leaving 33,000 people drowning.
It will also affect the regional and national economy for decades, experts have said.
The Cascadia Subduction Zone has produced magnitude 9.0 or greater earthquakes in the past, and undoubtedly will in the future.
The last time was in 1700, 318 years ago.
Oregon State earthquake geologists have warned of the possibilities of a disaster for years, after scientists discovered major earthquakes happen in the area on an average of every 240 years.
This means the ‘Big One’ is long overdue and the recent movement in the Cascadia Subduction Zone might indicate the earthquake could hit the US West Coast very soon.