50 earthquakes hit off the Oregon coast, but scientists say they're no great shakes
A swarm of earthquakes led some people to worry that the seismic activity might portend The Big One. But seismologists say that given the location of the quakes, there was no cause for alarm.
by Bill Chappell
Dec 08, 2021
2 minutes
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The Blanco Transform Fault Zone off of Oregon's coast is famously active, and it has not disappointed in the past 24 hours, generating at least 50 earthquakes, including two at a 5.8 magnitude.
That sounds like a lot — but scientists say the fault is virtually incapable of generating a cataclysm, either by a tsunami or a powerful quake affecting the U.S. mainland.
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