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In the aftermath of disaster...
Oct. 28, 1983, 9:06 a.m...
In an instant, the earth nearly 10 miles beneath Borah Peak in northern Idaho suddenly shifted. It triggered a magnitude 6.9 earthquake that rocked the communities of Challis and Mackay, Idaho.
When it hit, it created a gash in the earth stretching more than 21 miles along the Lost River Range. It shattered sections of the ground into random blocks of earth, each measuring several feet wide.
In its aftermath, the Borah Peak quake killed only two people but heavily damaged or destroyed dozens of commercial buildings and homes. With the final damage estimated at $12.5 million, it became the second strongest earthquake to hit the state over the previous 30 years. It was second only to the 7.5 magnitude Hebgen Lake Earthquake in 1959.
It's a scenario that Carol Killian knows could strike Elmore County tomorrow, next week, next month or years from now. As the county's disaster response coordinator, she's seen firsthand the devastation natural disasters like this can wreak on communities and people across the United States.
As cities across the eastern United States continue to assess the damage following a 5.8 magnitude earthquake last month followed just days later by a category one hurricane, their road to recovery could take months or even years. It's a challenge that Mountain Home and communities across the county could also face one day.
The risk
While Elmore County remains fairly shielded from major natural disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes, it sits in a geologically active part of the United States. The earthquake risk lies in the foothills just north of Mountain Home.
This rolling landscape is part of the Alaskan Intrusion -- a massive fault line stretching across southern Idaho. Over the past 100 years, a majority of the state's major earthquakes occurred here, including the one that struck the Borah Peak area.
"We're between two high-risk zones, and the tip of an extreme risk zone," Killian said.
In addition, the county is situated on several known fault lines, all of which are oriented in a northwest to southeast direction.
The level of risk all depends on where people live, according to a report prepared by the county disaster response coordinator's department. Those who have homes in the northern part of the county in places like Atlanta face a higher risk of a significant earthquake. Meanwhile, Mountain Home and cities situated in the Snake River Plain remain in a moderate risk category
And Elmore County is due for a large-scale earthquake capable of causing moderate to heavy damage within the next 50 years, according to the report.
Damage assessment
As scientists continue to gauge the earthquake risk for places like Elmore County, they've gained a better understanding of the impact they would leave behind. If the 5.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked Virginia hit here instead, the subsurface conditions beneath southern Idaho would've provided some level of protection, according to Killian.
"Past events suggest that an earthquake in the Elmore County area would cause little to no damage," the report noted.
However, Killian remains deeply concerned on how it would affect homes and buildings here. Many were not built to withstand a major earthquake.
In addition, many of the county's critical agencies are housed in older buildings that are not up to the current seismic codes, the report noted.
"In areas of severe seismic shaking hazard, older buildings are especially vulnerable to damage... even if their foundations are on solid bedrock," the Idaho Geological Society reported. "Older buildings may suffer damage even in areas of moderate ground shaking hazards."
"The older masonry buildings would all come down... if the epicenter was close enough," Killian added.
In addition to the initial damage, the county's mountainous terrain increases the risk of subsequent landslides that would threaten its northern communities. As people continue to move into this region, especially around Atlanta, Pine and Featherville, "landslides will likely occur more frequently, particularly near roadways and new home construction sites," the county report noted.
In the wake of disaster...
While people worry about weathering a large-scale quake, they often forget what happens in the days or weeks afterward, according to Killian. As a Red Cross volunteer that responded after Hurrican Katrina hit in 2005, she saw firsthand the devastation it left behind. More to the point, she saw how people there reacted.
"The first thing is people panic; they run out of the house and want to get out of the area," she said. "They want everything now and don't care."
However, the best thing people can do is remain at home and shelter in place for at least the next 72 hours -- if it's safe for them to stay there.
"It keeps the traffic and confusion down if people stay in their house or around their property... until emergency services can get to them," she added.
If a large-scale earthquake hits the county, it'll likely bring down trees and power lines while causing roads to crack and buckle. This would essentially block people in their neighborhoods, limiting them to leaving these areas on foot.
In a worst-case scenario, Killian expects the local community to lose all phone and Internet access, limiting people's access to information.
Following the Virginia earthquake last month, for example, the regional cell phone network was completely jammed with people attempting to call for help or trying to contact those in the affected area, she said. However, Killian noted that people on the east coast were still able to send and receive text messages, which did help.
It's likely that same problem would surface here following a major quake, especially if the local cell phone towers were damaged.
The easiest ways to cope: Stay calm, be patient and don't take unnecessary risks, she said.
Rule number one: Plan now
Making it through a large-magnitude earthquake is just the first challenge people face after a natural disaster of this magnitude. Getting through the next few days before help arrives is the next.
"It takes time," she said. "People get scared and they think (help) will happen overnight. But it doesn't necessarily happen that way."
While the Red Cross would likely call upon its volunteers in Boise for immediate help, it can take up to 24 hours for these people to mobilize. It would then take another two days for them to get here, assess the situation and have their basic relief services up and running.
Until then, most people here may end up on their own. That's why Killian urges people here to remain prepared.
A small survival kit containing the basic necessities is a good start, she said. In addition to having at least a gallon of water per person in the household each day, it's a good idea to have non-perishable food on hand. Some of these foods, like prepackaged meals used by campers or military field rations, can remain in storage for years.
But what people typically forget are basic necessities for others in their family. Those taking prescription medications, for example, need to have enough on hand for at least several days. This becomes an even greater challenge for those taking insulin and other medications that need to remain refrigerated.
Those with infants have similar challenges, Killian said. Diapers and baby formula can run out fast if people don't think ahead, she said. Meanwhile, those with pets or farm animals must remember that they also need their own sources of food, water and shelter.
While the response time after every disaster can vary, the average is 72 hours. "It depends on the area and how many Red Cross volunteers are accessible," Killian said.