ER's flock to Seattle

[cooch96]

From the models I've seen, as long as you don't live in Seattle proper, directly on the coast, or in the Fife lowlands, you should be fine.

My boss said a few years ago that he used to not like seismic retrofit jobs because it felt like stealing from future work (he was mostly joking of course). But he's been in the business 40 years and never had to replace a bridge due to earthquake damage. So retrofits have proven to be good for the construction business.

If this fault waits another 30 years (not so long for a these things, it might wait another century) we could be mostly ready for it.

 

[RetireAge50]

If you live through the earthquake you should be fine financially even if the house is destroyed. The value is mostly the dirt in the Seattle area.

 

[Fermion]

If you live through the earthquake you should be fine financially even if the house is destroyed. The value is mostly the dirt in the Seattle area.

Except when the dirt slides into Puget Sound like it has in certain parts already.

 

[aja8888]

Aja, would that be like River Oaks?

Ha

Yes, that's one area that has a lot of old money.

 

[OrcasIslandBound]

This link gives a pretty good description of the Cascadia Fault http://www.alternet.org/environment/cascadia-fault-due-massive-earthquake

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[ls99]

This link gives a pretty good description of the Cascadia Fault An Epic Earthquake Is Predicted to Hit the Pacific Northwest — and It’s Totally Terrifying | Alternet

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

I used to think beachfront property in Nevada. Guess I can diversify by betting on beachfront for the Cascades.

 

[audreyh1]

It's going to hit where T-Al lives. Close to a triple junction!

 

[GravitySucks]

It's going to hit where T-Al lives. Close to a triple junction!

Let's not wish disaster on our friends!

 

[Chuckanut]

I recall reading where the PNW just had the wettest winter in recorded history. Mud and moss everywhere.

 

[NW-Bound]

Not just earthquake, but rising sea level threatens the West Coast, actually the entire coastline of the US. The saving grace is that it is slow and gives people many decades if not 100 years to move away.

The graphics below comes from this Bloomberg article: Up to 13 Million Americans Are at Risk of Being Washed Away - Bloomberg Business. The word "washed away" is too strong. Some may barely get water ankle-deep, and the salt water to ruin their lawn.

 

[haha]

Not just earthquake, but rising sea level threatens the West Coast, actually the entire coastline of the US. The saving grace is that it is slow and gives people many decades if not 100 years to move away.

The graphics below comes from this Bloomberg article: Up to 13 Million Americans Are at Risk of Being Washed Away - Bloomberg Business. The word "washed away" is too strong. Some may barely get water ankle-deep, and the salt water to ruin their lawn.

I may not understand that map, but it seems to show the Olympic Mountains and much of the Cascades being inundated. Kind of doubt that.

Ha

 

[Fermion]

The Olympics are only 8000 or so feet high. If a big enough water-ice comet hit...

 

[NW-Bound]

I also observed that the map shows political boundaries, perhaps county limits. So, they count the population that may be affected along the coastline, and the map does not really show the possibly affected terrain. The latter would be more interesting.

 

[bld999]

I think you are right, they are county lines.

But even if the mountains weren't inundated, they could explode like Saint Helens, and cause plenty of worry. This is a dangerous place

 

[NW-Bound]

It's going to hit where T-Al lives. Close to a triple junction!

T-Al is no scaredy cat. I remember a thread where he talked about moving into a tiny home that's right on the ocean front. That's a lot lower elevation from where he is now, I believe.

 

[haha]

T-Al is no scaredy cat. I remember a thread where he talked about moving into a tiny home that's right on the ocean front. That's a lot lower elevation from where he is now, I believe.

I know where I definitely do not want to be if there is a tsunami-Ocean Shores WA!


https://www.google.com/#q=Ocean+Shores+WA+Map

Back in the last RE downturn I saw some interesting ads on Craig's List for cabins out there. I though I could do some surf and jetty fishing, and not tie up much money.

But then I decided that people might be shooting one another to get off that spit if a tsunami were on the way, so no thanks.

Ha

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

I know where I definitely do not want to be if there is a tsunami-Ocean Shores WA!

I often thought much the same whenever I visited the beautiful beaches over there after that Boxing Day in 2004. But I also noticed that, right next to the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe's Admin Bldg./local health clinic, there is a tall sturdy tree one could climb if you're life depended upon it.

 

[NW-Bound]

I visited Ocean Shores in my RV trek last year, and indeed people there would be trapped if a tsunami strikes. In 1946, a 7.8-Richter-scale earthquake in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska caused a 46-ft-high tsunami to strike Hilo (Hawaii) 2500 miles away. In Ocean Shores, there are not too many buildings taller than 46 ft to escape to.

But then, all along the northern western coast, there are many places where one would be trapped without an easy way to flee to higher ground. One often has to drive many miles along the coast before getting to a road going east to get further inland.

 

[NW-Bound]

HMMMM....LOL....My bro just sold his Lake Washington home for close to 10M. He bought one on Lake Sammamish for 2.5M, but its a fixer from the 70's.

I think maybe something on Lake Easton, (Snoqualmie Pass) might be available for <1M, but under some decent snow in the winter.....

I missed this post until now.

Yes, homes on the shore of Lake Washington or Mercer Island are very expensive, and big too. But on Bainbridge Island, I saw many nice homes, not mansions, on Rockaway Rd going for less than $1M a few years ago. Quite reasonable for a view of the Seattle skyline and the Space Needle across the bay.

 

[aja8888]

I missed this post until now.

Yes, homes on the shore of Lake Washington or Mercer Island are very expensive, and big too. But on Bainbridge Island, I saw many nice homes, not mansions, on Rockaway Rd going for less than $1M a few years ago. Quite reasonable for a view of the Seattle skyline and the Space Needle across the bay.

In contrast, you can by a home on Buffalo Bayou outside of Houston for <$100K and have a view of the Houston city skyline and all the traffic (no Space Needle). You would also get to experience a 12" rainstorm from time to time and watch your house fill up with water.

 

[OrcasIslandBound]

Our place in Orcas is 200' above sea level at the DW's insistence when we bought it. You can "feel" a tsunami coming I think.

If the big one hits Seattle skyline might be very similar to the Huston skyline, no space needle.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[mpeirce]

Beware the coming ice age!

Seattle was under the ice just 18,000 years ago (a blink of the eye geologically speaking):

 

[NW-Bound]

Oh boy! Where would the Canadians go?

 

[haha]

Oh boy! Where would the Canadians go?

To a bar.

 

[supernova72]

Boy, this has turned into an earthquake thread vs "ER's flock to Seattle".