Off the coast of Oregon lies the Cascadia Subduction Zone where the Juan de Fuca Plate is sliding (subducting) under the North American Plate. Subduction Zone earthquakes occur infrequently. However plate movement can generate major earthquakes (magnitude 8 point of higher). The most recent subduction zone earthquake occurred in 1700 (303 years ago). Scientists believe on average one subduction zone earthquake will occur every 300-600 hundred years. In addition, western Oregon is underlain with a series of fault lines that can produce earthquakes.

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