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Swarm of Small Earthquakes Hits Off Wash. Coast
At least 18 quakes reached magnitude 4.2 in a swarm far offshore, and scientists said the events were not a tsunami threat.
- An offshore swarm of at least 18 earthquakes struck far off the coast of Washington state early Sunday, with magnitudes up to 4.2 recorded between midnight and 9 a.m.
- The quakes occurred along the Juan de Fuca Ridge, roughly 250 miles offshore, where tectonic plates are spreading apart. Experts confirmed the activity is not near the Cascadia Subduction Zone or the Axial Seamount Volcano.
- Seismologist Harold Tobin, director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, stated the swarm poses no risk to the Pacific Northwest. He described the events as "quite an active swarm" that occurred far from land.
- Seismic data indicates the events were not strong enough to generate a tsunami, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Tobin emphasized that while the swarm is "super active since midnight," it does not signify an imminent threat to coastal communities.
- Such magnitude 2-4 earthquake activity is common, with roughly 500,000 similar events occurring annually globally. Officials encourage residents to maintain emergency preparedness plans, though science has not identified reliable precursory signals for these events.
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Total News Sources11
Leaning Left2Leaning Right2Center6Last UpdatedBias Distribution60% Center
Bias Distribution
- 60% of the sources are Center
60% Center
L 20%
C 60%
R 20%
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