The earthquake that will devastate Seattle and will destroy the coast of the Pacific Northwest could strike now or in 50 years … or maybe 600 years.

The New Yorker reported that “when the giant fault-line along the Pacific Northwest ruptures, it could  be our worst natural disaster ever.

And it could happen in our backyard.

What can one do with this information?

In February we reported that the vast majority of the islands will not be inundated by tsunami water, but that our greatest obstacle will be surviving without power for a week.

The loss of Seattle and surrounding areas is truly terrifying and it leads to the question: what is to become of us? In the meantime, you can be prepared in any ways we can.

Our recommendation is to purchase water purification tablets, which will enable you to drink safely from any water source. Other easy purchases are water to store, a spare flashlight with extra batteries, a role of nylon rope, duct tape, hydrated, instant or canned foods, a small cook stove and sleeping bags. These are items that can also be helpful in long-term power outages.

You can visit www.sanjuandem.net and click on “prepare” to find more detailed information on surviving a tsunami.

Brendan Cowan, director of the San Juan County’s Department of Emergency Management, offers his help to any person, family, business or organization “who needs some help getting going.”

You can contact Cowan by email at dem@sanjuandem.net or by phone at 370-7612.