The Education Hill Earthquake Event

In 2001, a *6.8-magnitude earthquake rattled Education Hill.

It seems like only yesterday this earthquake shook the homes and schools on Education Hill.  My wife, Pam was in the clothes closet when it happened. I was out of town on business.  Pam was on the "Earthquake Emergency Committee" at Horace Mann where my daughter attended.  By the time she got to Mann the Principal had already moved the children out of the building; the Principal panicked so the gym teacher took over.  The school's "emergency metal container" was opened but unused. Tents, triage materials, food etc. Pam and two other mom's phoned as many parents as they could.  Pam guesses "the ground shook maybe 30 seconds."  She said only a couple of students were panicky.  

Our tri-level is next to the Bike Park.  Apparently, the chandelier swung mildly.  A weight-bearing beam in our 2-story rental on Ed. Hill cracked, shifted and had to be replaced.  

Stephan A. Siebert, P.E. with Associated Earth Sciences, Inc. in Kirkland is an Associate Geotechnical Engineer.  Mr. Siebert wrote in "Rosehill Cottages" Redmond project report:

Earthquakes occur in Puget Lowland with great regularity.  Large, deep earthquakes occur as evidenced by the 1949, 7.2-magnitude event; the 1966, 6.5-magnitude event; and the 2001, *6.8-magnitude event.  The deep 1949 earthquake appears to have been the largest in this area (Redmond) during recorded history.  Evaluation of return rates indicates that an earthquake of a magnitude between 6.0 and 7.0 is likely every 25 to 40 years in the Puget Sound area.

Is it time the school district updates their earthquake preparedness safety manual?

Is it time the City of Redmond updates their earthquake preparedness safety manual?

-- Bob Yoder, 9/9/2022, opinion

Downtown Redmond sits on a three-six foot deep aquifer in places!  video  

San Francisco earthquake liquefication event video.  Redmond's downtown aquifer has similar characteristics. 

Seattle fault zone / 3 earthquake types in the Pacific Northwest.  video

File:   LWSD, COR