Contributing writer for The Canyon Weekly
A 4.4 magnitude earthquake was an early morning wake up call for many Santiam Canyon residents.
The quake struck at 5:50 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 7 near Lacomb and was felt in cities in both Marion and Linn counties and according to news reports, as far away as Portland. US Geological Survey data reported the quake was detected as far north as Longview, Wash., and as far south as Roseburg, as well as on the coast and east to Redmond and Bend.
“That was a wake-up call for sure!” posted Brian Slaughter on The Santiam Canyon Chat site on Facebook. “Felt it good here in Mill City.”
Karen Hillary said the quake hit hard on McCully Mountain, while Brouke Ammon felt nothing in Idanha.
“I was working at Dollar General and literally felt nothing,” Ammon said. “Just a normal day. Nothing out of the ordinary happened.”
While area residents felt the earth roll, some residents were unaware of the quake. Still others slept through it.
“I’m in Gates and didn’t feel a thing,” Laura Bradshaw said. “I’m in a travel trailer, too, so normally earthquakes feel like being in a boat.”
Patti Candell posted, “I wondered what that was!”
Following the earthquake, Marion County Public Works bridge maintenance crews were out bright and early looking for any signs of damage. Specifically, crews were inspecting county bridges in southern Marion County and the North Santiam River Canyon.
The county reached out via social media sites to local residents, asking if any signs of unusual movement, displacement or seismic damage to any county bridge that could be attributed to the earthquake be reported.
Typical signs of seismic damage include:
• Sunken pavement at bridge ends
• A noticeable gap between the bridge deck and the adjoining roadway
• A noticeable gap or cracks within the bridge deck
• Misaligned bridge rails
• Areas of the bridge deck that have abruptly settled or collapsed
Officials want to remind people to prepare for the expected and overdue Cascadian earthquake. A number of sites provide lists to help with preparation, including the Oregon Public Health Division, the American Red Cross, FEMA and the Centers for Disease Control.
Immediate preparations include assembling a disaster kit with enough emergency supplies to last for family and pets for at least three days. Include batteries and flashlights in case of power failures.
A good way to practice safety is to participate in the 2022 Great Oregon ShakeOut at 10:20 a.m. on Oct. 20. To register, visit www.shakeout.org.
To report findings from Friday’s quake, call Marion County Public Works Dispatch at 503-588-5304. Linn County Public Works, Albany, can be reached at 541-917-7676.
