Crossposted from KC Emergency News

Our region is vulnerable to earthquakes. A major threat lies just off the Pacific Coast, in an area known as the Cascadia Subduction Zone. This fault, when it ruptures, could cause a catastrophic magnitude 9.0 earthquake. A quake of that size would also cause a massive tsunami that would inundate the coast.

This week, King County Emergency Management will join with federal, state, and local partners to test earthquake response and recovery plans in the Cascadia Rising exercise. More than 20,000 first responders, emergency management professionals, military personnel, and local residents will take part in this multi-state, multi-jurisdiction exercise. The drill will run in various phases from June 7 through 10.

For more information about the Cascadia Rising exercise, visit www.fema.gov/cascadia-rising-2016.

For emergency preparedness tips and information about our region’s earthquake hazards, visit www.kingcounty.gov/prepare.