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US · Place
Earthquake in Seattle today: quakes nearby
Check whether an earthquake was reported near Seattle today. Change the search radius to compare nearby epicentres, magnitudes and depths.
Seattle · US · GeoNames 5809844 · Search radius: 100 km
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Latest earthquakes
UpdatedUpdates every minute while this page is visible
No known events in this window
This describes the available catalogue, not an all-clear. Try a longer period or check the latest known event below.
The last 30 days
- Latest recorded earthquake
- M 2.1Eatonville
- Strongest in 30 days
- M 2.1Eatonville
- Earthquakes in the catalogue
- 60USGS
- Magnitude 4.5 or larger
- 0M ≥ 4.5
Earthquakes within 100 km of Seattle. Data from USGS, updated automatically. This is not a warning; official alerts come from national authorities. Times are shown in Pacific Time (PST/PDT).
Three kinds of earthquakes in Seattle
Deep earthquakes beneath Puget Sound
The most frequent damaging earthquakes occur 40–70 km deep inside the subducting Juan de Fuca plate: Olympia 1949 (M6.7), Seattle–Tacoma 1965 (M6.7) and Nisqually 2001 (M6.8). Their depth spreads shaking widely but limits its strength.
The Seattle Fault
The Seattle Fault runs east–west beneath the city. About 1,100 years ago it produced a large shallow earthquake that raised the shoreline and caused a tsunami in Puget Sound.
Cascadia subduction zone
Offshore, the Cascadia subduction zone produced a magnitude ~9 earthquake on 26 January 1700, dated from a tsunami recorded in Japan. A repeat would bring long, strong shaking and a Pacific coast tsunami.
Major earthquakes
Notable earthquakes near Seattle in the USGS catalogue (local dates):
- 6.8Md
- 6.7Mw
- 6.7Mw
- 6.1Mw
If an earthquake strikes in Seattle
During shaking: drop, cover and hold on. Do not run outside; most injuries happen from falling objects and glass.
On the Washington coast, long or strong shaking is a natural tsunami warning: move to high ground or inland immediately. ShakeAlert warnings reach phones in Washington.
Frequently asked questions
Was there an earthquake in Seattle today?
The first panel shows the latest earthquake within 100 km of Seattle in the catalogue, in Pacific Time. The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network publishes the official record; magnitudes can differ slightly.
I felt shaking in Seattle but it is not listed — why?
Small earthquakes can take a few minutes to appear, and an earthquake felt in Seattle may be more than 100 km away. Widen the radius, compare the time, and check the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network.
Is Seattle overdue for a big earthquake?
Cascadia earthquakes have occurred irregularly, hundreds of years apart; the last was in 1700. Scientists give probabilities, not dates.
Latest known event
Latest known event · America/Los_Angeles
Sources and coverage
Source: USGS · GeoNames · CC BY 4.0 · Natural Earth
The location is the reported epicentre. Offshore context is separate from a position inside a country. Small-event coverage varies by region.
Historical context
The historical catalogue includes USGS M6+ from 1900, M4.5+ from 1970 and delivered events since the project began. It is not a complete record of all small earthquakes.
Seattle · US · America/Los_Angeles · 780,995 · GeoNames 5809844