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Good evening.
“If you're just joining us, we are continuing our coverage of what is now being called”
the most catastrophic natural disaster in Pacific Northwest history.
At 9/17 this morning, the Cascadia Subduction Zone ruptured triggering a magnitude 9.0 earthquake that is leveled cities, collapsed bridges, and sent a devastating tsunami crashing into the Oregon coast.
“This is the nightmare scenario that geologists have warned about for decades and now it is our reality.”
The death toll continues to rise.
As of this hour, confirmed fatalities across Oregon have surpassed 16,000 with officials fearing that number could double as search and rescue efforts continue. Thousands more are injured, trapped beneath the rubble of homes, office buildings, and roadways.
“Interstate 5 has been torn apart in sections and the Wilamet River bridges, lifelines of the city,”
or either severely damaged or completely destroyed.
Emergency responders are still trying to reach these areas, but landslides and impossible roads have slowed efforts. The Oregon National Guard is deploying helicopters to assist in rescues, pulling survivors from rooftops and overturned vehicles. We've also received reports that some communities remain completely cut off with no way to confirm the number of casualties. Tonight, we stand together in grief, in shock, and in resolve. We will bring you the latest updates as they come in.
For now, if you are in an infected area, please stay safe, check on your loved ones, and if you are able, help your neighbors. In times of devastation, we find our strength in each other. This is KPNW News. We'll be right back.
