Seattle: Earthquake of 3.7, Aftershocks Expected

by cyn.khoo | July 1, 2009 at 07:32 am

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A 3.7 earthquake hit Seattle and surrounding areas at 5:09 am Wednesday, July 1, in western Washington. According to University of Washington Seismology Lap reports, the center of the earthquake was approximately two miles east-southeast of the city of Coupeville, on Whidbey Island.

Citizens who felt the quake called the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the Island County sherriff's office, as well as TV and radio stations in Seattle.

Aftershocks may be expected, said Randy Baldwin of the USGS, and may occur over the next several days.

According to Bill Steele at the University of Washington Seismology Lab, the earthquake originated from the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate slipping under the North America plate. This condition has caused earthquakes on the scale of 7 or 8 once in around every 500 years, the last of which was approximately 300 years ago.

"It was centered about six miles south of Oak Harbor, about 43 miles north-northwest from Seattle," said Randy Baldwin of the U.S.G.S. "There's a preliminary depth of 36 miles, so it's a fairly deep quake and the magnitude, the preliminary magnitude is of about a 3.7."

Track the Seattle earthquake at the Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network.

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