How to find Earthquake Faults in Your Area

Could it happen here? On New Year's Day, the U.S. Geological Survey's National Earthquake Information Center detected a magnitude 7.5 earthquake near the west coast of Honshu, Japan. Nearly 100,000 were ordered to evacuate. I was staying with friends in Gearhart, on the Oregon Coast. We wondered if we might be in danger of a tsunami. Fortunately, we were spared this time. 
It's always a good idea to be prepared for natural disasters by informing yourself and taking simple steps to have supplies ready to go. When at the coast, look for and practice walking the tsunami routes in areas where you are staying.
What about when your home? Find out where the fault lines lie in your area, using this interactive map by the U.S. Geological Survey. And prepare for all kinds of disasters using the information on this website. 

To find fault lines in your area, click the image to open the USGS interactive map.

Author

Karen Ronning-Hall, Disaster Preparedness Evangelist, living in beautiful Portland, Oregon, with hubby Bill, daughter Geneva, Bean dog, Thumper kitty, and Terry the turtle.