PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — This Thursday, Oct. 19, Oregonians are preparing for the state’s largest earthquake drill.
Nearly 600,000 residents have already registered for the Great Oregon ShakeOut. They’ll join the 56.7 million people worldwide who are participating in the annual event that encourages people to practice earthquake safety.
According to the Oregon Department of Emergency Management, Oregon is among the most earthquake-prone areas in the continental U.S.
“The most known earthquake threat is the Cascadia Subduction Zone, a 700-mile fault located off the Pacific coast that puts Oregon at risk for a 9.0+ magnitude earthquake,” ODEM stated. “A quake of that size could cause five to seven minutes of shaking, followed by a tsunami of up to 100 feet in height that would devastate coastal areas.”
Starting at 10:19 a.m. on Thursday, participants will carry out three steps that the Earthquake Country Alliance said works in most situations: ‘Drop, Cover and Hold On.’
The common earthquake drill calls on participants to drop onto their hands and knees when they feel shaking, cover their head and neck with one arm and hand — or a sturdy table, if there’s one nearby — and hold on until the shaking ends.
Registration for the Great Oregon ShakeOut is still open.
For those who can’t join at 10:19 a.m., event organizers encourage people to practice the drill at any day or time throughout the year.
