It’s Not If. . . Its When! Will Oregon be Ready for the Megaquake?

A magnitude 9.0 earthquake off the Northwest coast could hit at any time along the Oregon Coast. How can we prepare for this impending and unpredictable disaster?

Three times in three years Jay Wilson has returned to Kadonowaki, Japan. Each time, the weeds are a little bit taller, the concrete foundations are a little more weathered.

On March 11, 2011, a tsunami scraped a vast swath of this town from the earth. Homes and businesses were reduced to rubble. A rebuilt paper mill is among the few structures resurrected here after the disaster.

As Wilson surveys the landscape, it’s hard to know whether he’s more rattled by this tsunami that has happened, or the tsunami that will happen — in Oregon.

Oregon faces the threat of an earthquake every bit as large as the one that struck Japan. Are there lessons we can learn from Japan’s experience? Can we prepare for something so destructive? [learn more]

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You’re Invited! Oregon Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan Update

 You're Invited! Oregon Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan Update

 

Greetings!

You are cordially invited to engage with the State of Oregon in updating its 2012 Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan.

The Plan provides background on the state’s eleven natural hazards – Coastal Hazards, Drought, Dust Storms, Earthquakes, Fires, Floods, Landslides, Tsunamis, Volcanic Hazards, Windstorms, and Winter Storms – and identifies actions for reducing risk. Having a current plan in place makes the State and its local governments eligible for certain federal hazard mitigation or disaster assistance funds. The update must be completed and approved by FEMA by March 2, 2015.

At the project website you can:

— Learn about the 2012 Oregon NHMP and the 2015 update
— Sign up to be notified via email when new information has been posted
— Comment on drafts as they become available

Draft mitigation actions are currently available for review and comment

Project Website: http://www.oregon.gov/LCD/HAZ/pages/NHMP.aspx#top

We also invite you to visit the website of the State Interagency Hazard Mitigation Team (IHMT), the oversight body for the Plan update. Quarterly meeting materials and other information are available on the IHMT’s website.

IHMT Website: http://www.oregon.gov/OMD/OEM/IHMT/Pages/about_us_IHMT.aspx

We look forward to hearing from you! Feel free to pass this information on to others who may be interested in participating in the 2015 Oregon Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan Update.

Sincerely,

Marian Lahav, Project Manager
Natural Hazards Planner  ¦   Planning Services Division,
Oregon Dept. of Land Conservation and Development