Tsunamis and Survival

Tsunamis pose a major threat to visitors and residents of the Orgon coast. The talk will focus on what you need to know to survive tsunamis whether you are at the coast or at sea. The Oregon, Washington, and northern California coasts are vulnerable to both local tsunamis arriving in minutes from giant earthquakes on the Cascadia subduction zone and distant tsunamis arriving in hours from similar earthquakes around the Pacific rim. The Newport- area will be used to illustrate tsunami evacuation maps and port hazards.

Register for Zoom event here (no charge for registration)

Speaker Bio:

Dr. George R. Priest has a doctorate in geology from Oregon State University, has taught geology at Portland State University, worked in private industry as a geologist, and from 1979 to 2019 as a senior geologist with the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI). While at DOGAMI, he led applied research programs in geothermal energy and geologic hazards such as landslides, earthquakes, and tsunamis, opening a coastal field office in 2000. He tapered off his work with DOGAMI to part-time positions from 2005 to 2019 and is now an affiliated scholar with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). VIMS is where tsunami simulations for Oregon are done by Dr. Joseph Zhang, one of the foremost tsunami modelers in the world. Dr. Priest's publications can be viewed at the following website:  George PRIEST | Affiliated Scholar | Bs, MS, PhD | William & Mary, Williamsburg | WM | Research profile

Hazards from the Nevado del Ruiz and Mount Rainier volcanoes — Leveraging lessons learned to prevent future disasters

Mount Rainier in the central Cascade Range of the U.S. and Nevado del Ruiz near the northern end of the Andes volcanic chain in Columbia exist a hemisphere apart. Similarities in their geographies, structures, eruption processes, and hazards make them an ideal couple for comparison and instruction. Both edifices contain weak and collapse-prone rock mantled by glacially distributed rock debris. Five major rivers descend each volcano within narrow valleys that serve as conduits for lahars. 

At Mount Rainier, evidence of a lahar 500 years ago comes alive in a scant extent of oral traditions. At Nevado del Ruiz, memories remain tender and just below the surface for survivors of a 1985 lahar that caused an estimated 25,000 fatalities. During this 40-year anniversary of that catastrophic lahar, we examine an exchange program that brings together public officials and educators of each nation for purposes of education, motivation, and exchange of best practices. We demonstrate that for improvements in risk reduction, commitment to motivating populations may be as important as understanding the nature of a volcano, and that a whole community approach is necessary to maintain preparedness for high consequence/low frequency volcanic events.

Register for the Zoom event here (no charge for registration)

Speaker Bio:

Carolyn Driedger is a Hydrologist now working in Scientist Emerita status at the U. S. Geological Survey's Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO) in Vancouver, Washington. Her science career began in 1978 with research on glaciers and glacier-related hazards in Alaska and the Cascade Range. Carolyn witnessed the May 18, 1980 catastrophic eruption of Mount St. Helens and participated in the scientific response. The experience provided an opportunity for observation and reflection about the roles of scientists in society. It set the course for participation in multiple projects across science and societal disciplines. As the USGS-CVO long-term Outreach Coordinator, Carolyn has worked in partnership with public officials, emergency planners, media, park interpreters, and educators to advance the cause of eruption preparedness.