Four years ago, on March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9 earthquake hit northeastern Japan.  It unleashed a tsunami that savaged the country.  Around 16,000 people died, and the material damage is estimated to have been about $300 billion. The disaster caught the attention of people worldwide, and especially here in the Northwest. Oregon’s coastline is similar to Japan’s, and many wonder if we would suffer the same fate if a full-rip earthquake and tsunami hit here. Allison Pyrch was among a handful of Oregonians who visited Japan shortly after the disaster.

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