The new part of this story is that Eric has looked at the fact that the Coast Guard is likely to be destroyed by any major earthquake here, and we would be relying on them to be ‘first responders’.
It is clear that our government has known of the risk here for decades and has done little to protect us from it. Some Tsunami sirens is pretty much it. Is there a master plan for this disaster? What would happen if Ediz Hook, and all the ports and Hood Canal Bridge were destroyed? Also remember that it’s probable that the Hood Canal Floating Bridge would be gone, and with it, our fibre optic lines that provide any communication. The Fibre Loop goes around to Gray’s Harbor, but that likely would be gone too.
www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/05/07/coast-guard-tsunami-00058594
Filed under: Olympic Peninsula | Tagged: earthquake, tsunami |
Missing is that the Westport USCG station ALSO will be destroyed in a CSZ event. They hope to get the boats out of Grays Harbor before the waves hit, and the helo into the air to some safe airfield … far, far, away. But the facility will be gone. The height of the waves is overstated for at least the Westport and Ocean Shores peninsulas, which DNR says will be about 23-26 feet. And the article doesn’t mention the waves won’t hit the shore at hundreds of miles per hour but rather about 10m/second. The waves slow down and build up before they hit the shore.
In the event that we do get hit by a major earthquake here, something on the order of 8 or 9 on the Richter Scale, it’s likely that almost all responders at sll levels will be just as overwhelmed by the earthquake and resultant tsunamis, aftershocks, etc. We will have no drinking war electricity, no internet or cell phone signals, etc. Our roads are likely to be damaged, landslides, sink holes, power pokes and wires down etc. It’s likely that most people here will not be able to drive anywhere. So it’s not just the Coast Guard that’s going to be limited or completely obstructed from responding. First responders across our region would be utterly overwhelmed. If we are planning on surviving this, we need to be prepared for a month of more of isolation. Military assets from across the country will be responding, and it’s most likely to be by helicopter, until the ground stops shaking with aftershocks. Boats will be limited by the tsunamis and unpredictable aftershocks too. And the regional waters will be polluted with all manner of fuels, chemicals, sewerage, etc. It will be too toxic snd too hazardous to operate vessels on for some time.
As I understand the most likely scenario is not necessarily helicopters but airlift drops at airports like Jefferson County and PA. Airfields likely secured and staffed by paratroopers, if any are available.
A very long article on tsunami preparedness by the Coast Guard. They indicate the two Navy ships docked next to them are ready to roll 24/7. Doesn’t Banger keep a schedule of when subs will need an escort? They do not transit the Strait on a 24/7 basis. Then the article quotes the CG commenting they have no MOU that the Navy will help during a tsunami, ““We don’t even know how to get hold of them.” It appears to me the essentials for preparedness planning are a bit over their pay grade or something.
There has always been a problem coordinating between the Navy and the CG. When I was involved with oil spill preparedness I listened to the CG talk about their issues with the Navy and it was clear that in the event of a major oil spill that there would not likely be any help from the Navy for some time, if ever.
We moved up to Sequim in 2003, were visited by Dr. Doom in 2015, trained and became a CERT Captain and received a 10 sq mi area of responsibility with 550 souls. Of those, less than 10% signed up to volunteer to serve on CERT. Rather than face the disaster and deal with the high probability of dealing with under-prepared neighbors and knowing we’d likely never see our family again, we chose to move closer to our families and deal with disaster preparedness with them.
We wish you all well.
Yep, that is the way things go up here. Hasn’t happened in centuries, unlikely to now, until it does. Sequim itself is likely to be underwater if a big one happens, as the wave will likely go up the Dungeness some distance. See videos of Fukishima as examples.