Thank you for Joining “The Noto Earthquake: Implications for Natural Hazards Preparation in Washington State ” Held on Tuesday, March 26, 2024!

This program was supported and co-hosted by the Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle & the Japan-America Society of the State of Washington.

It was an educational evening filled with curious discussions and valuable connections! This event was offered as a hybrid seminar at the Seattle University’s Pigott Auditorium, and had a total of 75 attendees join us this evening.

A big thank you to our special guest speakers, Junichi Sumi (Deputy Consul General, Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle), and Robert Ezelle (Director of Emergency Management Division, WA State) for your insightful words during the opening remarks.

Furthermore, this event would not have been a success without our field expert speakers:

• Naoshi Hirata (Emeritus Professor of Seismology, University of Tokyo),
• Brian Atwater (Scientist Emeritus, U.S. Geological Survey),
• Sandi Doughton (Pacific NW Magazine Writer, The Seattle Times), and
• Sophia Lopez (Community Engagement Manager, Seattle Office of Emergency Management)!

Some key points made by the speakers: 

• The Noto Earthquake of January 1, 2024 uplifted the western tip of the Noto Peninsula 4 meters. The uplift generated tsunami waves 2-4 meters tall locally. 
• 8480 homes were completely destroyed; 15,281 were half destroyed. However, much of this reflects the many old houses that were present in this rural area.   
• On the Seattle Fault, similar sudden uplift likely happened 1100 years ago. It made a tsunami that left a sand sheet in local sediments. 
• Washington State’s earthquake and tsunami preparation, while ongoing, remains slow. According to science writer Doughton, the infrequency of major earthquakes here makes it hard for politicians and residents to prioritize spending on earthquake hazards mitigation.  
• In the City of Seattle, earthquakes nonetheless remain the #1 hazard that city emergency planners worry about.  

We wrapped up the evening with an engaging Q&A session, followed by a special door prize ($50 gift certificate to the Melrose Grill) – congratulations to our lucky raffle winner!

Many thanks for joining us Tuesday evening, and we hope to see you all again in our future events! A friendly reminder that you can stay up to date via our social media here or check out our events calendar here for upcoming events!

Warm Regards,

JASSW