Big Quake Could Cause $30B Damage to Oregon

A state commission says a magnitude 9 earthquake off the Oregon coast and tsunami could cause more than $30 billion damage to the state economy.

Such a quake also could kill as many as 10,000 people in the state, but the report from the Earthquake Commission focuses on survival and recovery.

The Oregonian reports the commission released the report Monday that calls for 50 years of seismic upgrades to limit the damage.

The commission was created by the Legislature in 1991 and the report was drafted with the help of more than 150 experts.

The Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission meets Tuesday in Portland to vote on adopting the report.

Experts say a massive quake in the Cascadia subduction zone is inevitable, but no one knows when.