I’m a little late on this, but I wanted to direct your attention to today’s Oregonian article about a recent Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) report that details the impact of a 9.0 earthquake on six Willamette Valley counties.

The most interesting information is right up at the top:

More than a quarter of all buildings in six Willamette Valley counties — most
of them homes — would be moderately or completely destroyed in a major
subduction zone earthquake. About 1,000 people in the counties would die,
another 13,000 would be injured, and close to 23,000 families would be
displaced. Building damage would total about $12 billion.

The whole article makes a good argument for what we say around here every day: get a kit, make a plan and be informed. It also serves as a reminder of why our Chapter needs to play a larger role when it comes to things like public policy, pre-positioning supplies and building stronger community partnerships. We’re working on all of those things — to better serve Oregonians now and into the future.