Tsunami detection buoy washes ashore in Oregon

PORTLAND, Ore. -- A DART Buoy used for detecting tsunami waves washed ashore this week, the National Weather Service in Portland confirmed.

The buoy was found the same day a magnitude 7.9 earthquake was reported near Kodiak, Alaska.

But the agency says that's just a "coincidence."

A buoy broke from its mooring about 230 miles west of Astoria in October. Officials believe it's the buoy that came ashore.

"The current along our coastline is generally < 5 cm/s or ~.11 mph. Therefore, the minimum time it would take to travel the 251 mi to Yachacts (w/o other factors) would be around 93 days. Therefore, since it has been 111 days since Oct 4, this timing would make sense! #DidTheMath," the National Weather Service said.





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