It is not a matter of if a major earthquake will strike the Pacific Northwest, but rather a question of when.

According to geologists, the longest earthquake-free interval along the Cascadia Subduction Zone in the past 10,000 years lasted 330 years. The current drought stands at 318 years, with the most recent large quake occurring on or about Jan. 26, 1700. All of which reminds us that while there is nothing that can prevent an earthquake, numerous steps can be taken to mitigate its damage.

That is the conclusion from an eye-opening report released last week by the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries. The analysis examined the Portland metro area in the event of a 9.0-magnitude offshore quake — but did not include Clark County — and estimated a worst-case scenario in which up to 1,400 people would be killed, 85,000 people would be displaced from homes, and damage to buildings would amount to $37 billion.

“We can look at the damage on a building-by-building basis,” said Ian Madin, the agency’s deputy director. “As far as we know, nobody has ever done this for more than 600,000 buildings.”

Phase 2 of the study, expected to be released in 2019, will include Clark County, but it is safe to say that damage here would be severe. With 467,000 people sitting in a mostly urban area across the Columbia River, people and buildings would experience devastation, with roads, bridges, utilities and communication systems likely compromised.