If you were living in Seattle in 2001 and felt the "Nisqually" earthquake - a magnitude 6.8 quake that was centered near Olympia on February 28, 2001 -- you just knew that possible serious business was on the way - as in thinking, "Uh oh. Is THIS the big one?"

It was that much of a jolt. Some folks in Seattle said they have never in a previous earthquake felt the entire earth heave like they did in that one.

Scientists have long known that Seattle is on a collision course with the "big one," they just don't know the date, that's all.

To that end a reader sent us recently a link to a Nat'l Geographic Video on that Seattle quake with a note that said we (since everyone around here now reads our fine publication) should make sure everyone in the area is aware of it because everyone who lives in these parts should know what's what with that earth moving thing.

We thought that sounded reasonable since there are 13 major earthquake faults (count em' 13!) known so far in the Puget Sound area.

The link to the Nat'l Geo Report is below.



Besides the 2001 Seattle quake, recent earthquakes in the area include a magnitude 5.3 earthquake that hit Seattle on May 2, 1996. Another earthquake struck Western Washington on July 2, 1999.

One of the largest earthquakes in Washington is thought to be the 1872 earthquake, magnitude 7.0 (a big humper) that hit near Lake Chelan in eastern Washington. That nerve-blaster was felt from British Columbia, Canada, to Oregon and from the Pacific Ocean to Montana.

Note: if you're interested there are several technical publications about earthquakes in our area available from the USGS

~ Neotectonics of the eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca region, northwestern Washington and southwestern British Columbia

~ Seattle Fault Zone

~ Whidbey Island Fault