Geo Quiz

Fault line

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We’re looking for a fault-line where seismologists say an earthquake is inevitable. It’s 680 miles long and runs off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. It stretches from Southern British Columbia in Canada, along the states of Washington and Oregon, all the way to northern California.

A magnitude-nine earthquake rocked this zone in January of 1700. The quake was so strong, it caused a Tsunami that hit the coast of Japan. That was the last “Big One” there. But many earthquakes still jolt the area. For example, seismologists record more than 1000 small-to-medium earthquakes in British Columbia every year.

So, what’s the name of this fault-line?

The answer is the Cascadia Subduction Zone, also known as the Cascadia fault.

A retail store has just opened up near the fault that caters to nervous Canadians in the area. Scott Larsen is the sales manager for Krasicki and Ward Emergency Prep in Vancouver, British Columbia.

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