Sun May 25 05:40:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the text, focused on grabbing reader attention and conveying the key information:

**Pacific Northwest Braces for Catastrophic Earthquake and Tsunami, Experts Warn**

**SEATTLE, WA** – The Pacific Northwest is facing a looming natural disaster of unprecedented scale, scientists warn, as pressure builds along the Cascadia Subduction Zone. A massive earthquake, triggering a devastating tsunami and permanent coastal flooding, is not a matter of “if,” but “when,” according to researchers.

“Geologically speaking, we’re well within the window of possibility,” said Tina Dura, a geologist and professor of natural hazards at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Her recent study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, highlights how climate change is exacerbating the potential impact of the impending quake.

The earthquake, which could strike at any time, is expected to cause intense ground shaking, lasting a minute or longer. Immediately following, land along the coast could drop by as much as six feet, and a tsunami, with waves potentially reaching 100 feet, will devastate coastal communities within 30 to 40 minutes. Experts liken the potential destruction to that of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

“Imagine if, after Hurricane Katrina, after all the horrible things that happened, if we’d also lost big chunks of New Orleans and it never came back,” said Diego Melgar, a professor at the University of Oregon and director of the Cascadia Region Earthquake Science Center, illustrating the potential for permanent land loss.

What makes this event even more catastrophic is the impact of rising sea levels. Because the land would have dropped as much as six feet and the waters will be higher in general, coastal areas may be permanently flooded, rendering some communities uninhabitable.

While the exact timing of the earthquake remains uncertain – it could be tomorrow or decades from now – seismologists estimate a 15% probability of a magnitude 8 quake within the next 50 years, and a 30% chance for a large earthquake happening by the year 2100. Records show these earthquakes recur roughly every 200 to 800 years, and the last event occurred in 1700.

The energy buildup along the Cascadia fault line is so significant that even a magnitude 8 earthquake wouldn’t fully alleviate the pressure. Officials are urging residents to prepare for the inevitable, emphasizing the need for comprehensive disaster planning and community resilience in the face of a potentially devastating natural event.

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