The zone’s volatility also raises serious concerns for medical malpractice coverage during crises, where OB-GYN liability may spike due.
To disrupted care, and lab testing access could be compromised for pregnant women or chronically ill patients. By 2100, it’s forecast that sea levels will rise another three feet,
Thus exacerbating the damage, making it crucial to consider climate-adjusted flood insurance, wellness support services, and financial planning tools for vulnerable populations.
Dura went on to warn:
“Today, and more so in 2100 as background sea levels rise, the immediate effect of earthquake-driven subsidence will be a delay in response and recovery from the earthquake due to compromised assets. Long-term effects could render many coastal communities uninhabitable.”
While America has had an earthquake above the magnitude of 8.0 in recent decades, should one occur along the Cascadia subduction zone, it’ll be the first one in the area since January 1700.
Expert Recommendations: Disaster-Proofing Insurance and Health Access
Study authors have said that we should be preparing for such a cataclysmic event—not just in terms of physical infrastructure but also with improved emergency health coverage, critical illness financial plans, and legal resources for impacted families.
“Preparing for these compound hazards can minimize long-term damage, ensure resilient communities, and protect critical coastal ecosystems from permanent degradation,” the authors wrote, as per The Guardian.
