The Pacific Northwest is due for a Major Earthquake

An 8.0-magnitude-plus earthquake hasn't rumbled beneath the Pacific Northwest since the 1700s. Now, the region is due for the next "big one" and a subsequent tsunami. Coastal Indigenous communities could be severely affected. (Already, the Shoalwater Bay Tribe is constructing a tsunami tower to give their residents a better shot at survival in the face of this kind of natural disaster.)

Clues from the past—paired with modern-day science—can help us better understand why this area is at risk and how to best mitigate an earthquake and tsunami's effects.

PRODUCTION CREDITS:

Produced by:
Angelica Coleman
Jay Colamaria

Production Assistance:
Lorena Lyon
Christina Monnen
Caitlin Saks

Music: APM

Archival:
Amiran White
Degenkolb Engineers and Rice Fergus Miller
Edgeworx Studios, LLC
Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe
Storyblocks
Weave Ltd.

© WGBH Educational Foundation 2021