Spirit tales reveal ancient landslides

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Tom Simonite


North American folklore points to dangers for Seattle.

© Timber Press, Portland, Oregon

A study of Native American tales of a two-headed serpent spirit has hinted at the potential impact of a fault that lies directly beneath Seattle.

Researchers have been studying stories from the Salish people of the North American west coast about a'yahos, a spirit associated with shaking of the ground and rushing, muddy water. They say the tales are strongly linked to a quake that occurred in AD 900. By tracing the tales to specific locations, they have found evidence of ancient landslides.

Ruth Ludwin, a researcher at the Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network at the University of Washington in Seattle, thinks another earthquake in the now densely populated area could trigger a similar slide, with potentially disastrous effects. "I don't think people fully appreciate the severity of the landslides," she adds. She also says that such work can help to educate residents about the risks of an earthquake. "I think that the first-person eye-witness accounts are necessary to fully understand the hazards."

http://www.nature.com/news/2005/050711/full/050711-7.html