Magnitude 5.7 Earthquake Strikes Cascadia Zone

Magnitude 5.7 Earthquake Strikes Cascadia Subduction Zone

A moderately strong magnitude 5.7 earthquake has struck in the dangerous Cascadia Subduction Zone off the coast of California and Oregon.  This is the zone where "the big one" would likely take place, if it ever happens.  It comes after a strong magnitude 7.1 struck Mexico, which seems to have set in-motion, additional earthquakes up the same fault lines.  Folks on the west coast are STRONGLY URGED to be prepared for a larger quake.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS) the quake took place at a shallow depth of only 15km.

The Cascadia Subduction Zone is responsible for the formation of the Cascadia Mountain range which runs from northern California all the way up to Vancounver, BC CANADA.  It is also responsible for the several Volcanoes in that mountain range, including Mt. Saint Helens, which erupted in the 1980's.

The simple explanation of this zone is as follows:

The Pacific Tectonic plate is forced UNDER (subducts) the North American Tectonic plate.  A portion of the North American plate is "snagged" or "stuck" to the Pacific plate as it's going under the North Merican plate; so the North American plate is being scrunched-up as the Pacific plate slides beneath it.

At some point, no one know when, part or all of the North American plate will suddenly become un-snagged.  When that happens, all the thousands of years of stress built up, will be instantly released.  "The big one."  The image below shows the Cascadia Subduction Zone.

So whenever a moderate earthquake takes place anywhere in the Cascadia Subduction Zone, it is a very dangerous thing.  It could be the prelude to the plates getting un-stuck, and the day that happens, a lot of people on the west coast of North AMerica are going to be killed. by a Magnitude 10+ earthquake.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says there is no danger of a Tsunami.

WEAK53 PAAQ 221953
TIBAK1

Tsunami Information Statement Number 1
NWS National Tsunami Warning Center Palmer AK
1253 PM PDT Fri Sep 22 2017

...THIS IS A TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT FOR ALASKA, BRITISH
   COLUMBIA, WASHINGTON, OREGON AND CALIFORNIA...

EVALUATION
----------
 * An earthquake has occurred; a tsunami is not expected.


PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
---------------------------------
 * The following parameters are based on a rapid preliminary
   assessment and changes may occur.

 * Magnitude      5.8
 * Origin Time    1150 AKDT Sep 22 2017
                  1250  PDT Sep 22 2017
                  1950  UTC Sep 22 2017
 * Coordinates    40.4 North 126.8 West
 * Depth          7 miles
 * Location       140 miles SW of Eureka, California
                  295 miles NW of San Francisco, California


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND NEXT UPDATE
--------------------------------------
 * Further information will be issued by the United States
   Geological Survey (earthquake.usgs.gov) or the appropriate
   regional seismic network.

 * This will be the only U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center
   message issued for this event unless additional information
   becomes available.

$$