Description: https://www.wired.com/story/the-long-lost-tale-of-an-18th-century-tsunami-as-told-by-trees/ 09/23/2021 The Long-Lost Tale of an 18th-Century Tsunami, as Told by Trees Local evidence of the cataclysm has literally washed away over the years. But Oregon’s Douglas firs may have recorded clues deep in their tree rings. ONE NIGHT IN late January 1700, two tectonic plates running along the Pacific Northwest coast released the tension they had accumulated during a centuries-long tête-à-tête. In a tectonic roar, the Juan de Fuca plate slipped past the North American plate, and a roughly 9.0-magnitude earthquake rattled the entire region. The coastline dropped and tsunamis washed over the entire Northwest coast. Indigenous stories recount the disaster, but scientists only connected these dots later. Geological evidence of the events wasn’t found until the 1980s. But it’s not enough to only uncover when a major quake happens. Precise details about its extent and aftermath are crucial to future preparedness. Studies have left no doubt that another Big One will come eventually. The estimated window for magnitude 8 to 9 quakes on the Cascadia subduction zone is about every 500 years, but there hasn’t been one since modern instruments began recording data in the late 19th century. “We have no observations, because they're just so rare,” says Bryan Black, an associate professor at the University of Arizona. “But sooner or later they’re going to hit again.” Read the full article at the link 🔗 above.