Officials: A dam in Oregon could fail in a large earthquake

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has determined that a large earthquake — which is expected to occur again in the Pacific Northwest sooner or later — could cause the spillway gates of a dam in Oregon to buckle, resulting “in a potentially catastrophic flood.” The Corps says it will try to minimize the danger by reducing the maximum height of the lake by five feet. The move comes as Oregon and the wider Pacific Northwest are coming to grips with “the big one” that experts say is coming. Last week, an earthquake early warning system was launched in Oregon.