Offshore quakes pose little direct danger
A string of at least five earthquakes with a top magnitude of 5.9 struck in an area off the Pacific Northwest known for lots of activity along faults, but little tsunami danger.
The earthquakes began around midnight Sunday. The latest and most powerful was about one pm Monday afternoon.
Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey say the quakes are about 300 miles off the central Oregon Coast, in an area that has generated dozens of such quakes.
The temblors were shallow, about six miles deep, and none of them are the type that would trigger a tsunami.
The quakes are centered on a fault line where crustal blocks slide past each other, horizontally, creating less violent movement than along faults like the closer Cascadia Subduction Fault where blocks rise and fall in relation to each other.
Ali Ryan, the Earth Science Information Officer with the Oregon Department of Geology says the latest quakes are not directly related to the Cascadia Fault… but they do serve as an important reminder for coastal residents to be prepared.
Ryan will be on this Wednesday afternoon’s Our Town on KCST to talk about quakes, faults and earthquake preparedness.
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Overnight traffic on the Siuslaw River Bridge in Florence will face some delays later this week. An Oregon Department of Transportation bridge crew will be replacing the traffic signals on the bridge Thursday night and early Friday morning.
Traffic will be limited to one-lane between 8 PM Thursday and 5 AM Friday. Flaggers will control traffic with delays, according to ODOT, of no more than 20 minutes.
The signals are being replaced because they were subject to being moved by winter winds, causing wiring to break and mounting brackets to be damaged. The new signals will have reinforced heads and stiffer brackets.
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Free fishing, free camping and free access to public day use areas that normally require a fee will be offered this weekend on the Oregon Coast and around the state.
The first Saturday in June is National Trails Day. Government agencies that offer access to recreation areas typically offer free programs to encourage people to get out and enjoy the outdoors.
Nearby there will be a “free family fishing day” at Cleawox Lake in Honeyman State Park.
Volunteers from the local Salmon Trout Enhancement Program will be on hand with more than 200 fishing rods… and bait… that they will loan out to new anglers who want to give the sport a try.
Many STEP volunteers will be on hand to give families some tips on what to do.
If the fishing doesn’t pan out, they’ll also serve free hot dogs and have other activities.
Free Fishing at Cleawox will be from 8:30 to 2:30 this Saturday.
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