Foster
productive linkages between scientists, critical infrastructure
providers, businesses and governmental agencies in order to
improve the viability of communities after an earthquake event.
In less than 50
years, a number of great Cascadia-like earthquakes have occurred
around the Pacific Rim, including Chile (1960), Alaska, (1964)
and Mexico (1985). A unique aspect of a great Cascadia earthquake
is the strong likelihood that the three greater metropolitan
areas of Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver will simultaneously
feel the effects of strong and sustained ground shaking. This
wide-spread ground shaking combined with accompanying elevation
changes and the likely generation of a tsunami along the Pacific
coast, will cause loss of life, property damage, and business
interruption in vulnerable locations through out southwestern
British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and northwestern California.
The broad geographic distribution of damaging impacts will
generate special challenges and severely stress the response
and recovery resources of the three Pacific states and British
Columbia.
The regional exposure
of people and property to earthquake hazards in the Pacific
Northwest and southwestern British Columbia has continued
to expand over the past century. In just the period of 1980
to 1990, the population in the state of Washington increased
by nearly 20% (US Census). This increased exposure is reflected
in dense urbanization along the I5 corridor and in southwestern
British Columbia, the development of forestry and fishery
industries along the coast, and the continued expansion of
Pacific Rim trade involving Ports like Vancouver, Seattle,
Tacoma, and Portland.
