Preliminary results from a study related to the subduction of the Juan De Fuca Plate beneath the North American Plate off the coast of Washington and British Columbia indicate that the potential mega-thrust earthquake could strike closer to the Seattle-Tacoma area than previously thought. I believe this project is the same one where I posted their press release about two years ago. According to the article, the average return period for these mega-thrust earthquakes is 400 to 500 years with a range between 300 and 800 and the estimated magnitude of around 9.0. The last mega-thrust earthquake along the Cascadia Subduction Zone was in January of 1700. Previously, scientists predicted the earthquake would be centered just off the coast, they now think it could be 30 miles or more inland, under the Olympic Peninsula to the west of the Seattle-Tacoma area. Source: Physorg.com via Geology.com.
Related Articles

Project Related
High-tech Geotechnical Monitoring for the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Tunnel
February 20, 2013
rockman
Project Related
Comments Off on High-tech Geotechnical Monitoring for the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Tunnel

Geologic Hazards
Chile Earthquake 2010 – Magnitude 8.8

Geologic Hazards
Study: Port of Anchorage replacement vulnerable to liquefaction in earthquake
December 19, 2012
rockman
Geologic Hazards
Comments Off on Study: Port of Anchorage replacement vulnerable to liquefaction in earthquake