A "Monster Earthquake," Chinese Jets in Pakistan, and Physician-Assisted Dying in New York

Tipping Point Quick Hits (05.15.25)

A “Monster Earthquake” is Coming to the West Coast

Recent warnings from seismologists have resulted in a variety of fearful headlines in West Coast newspapers. The earthquake researchers are paying close attention to hasn’t happened yet, but is imminent in what they call the Cascadia Subduction Zone, a 600-mile fault line stretching from northern California to British Columbia. This underwater region is capable of producing a “megathrust earthquake” of 8.0 magnitude—or higher—which could have catastrophic consequences for the Pacific Northwest.

Here’s how the Los Angeles Times describes it:

A long-feared monster earthquake off California, Oregon and Washington could cause some coastal areas to sink by more than 6 feet, dramatically heightening the risk of flooding and radically reshaping the region with little to no warning.

Those are the findings of a new study that examined the repercussions of a massive earthquake on the Cascadia subduction zone, which stretches from Northern California up to Canada’s Vancouver Island.

That’s not just the typical earthquake rumbling and destruction of buildings. It’s a six-foot drop in massive parts of the landscape. Which means parts of the coast that are currently at sea level would suddenly go underwater. This would expand already flood-prone areas and impact thousands of residents and structures.