1.1: Significant Historical Earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest
- Page ID
- 6538
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Date | Magnitude | Source | Comments |
Jan. 26, 1700 | 9 | SZ | Dated by Japanese tsunami |
Oct. 23, 1853 | 5.7 | ? | Eureka area, wharf sank 4 feet, intensity VII |
Mar. 20, 1855 | ? | ? | Eureka, intensity VI, affected the flow of streams |
Jun. 14, 1857 | ? | ? | Eureka, intensity VI |
Nov. 13, 1860 | 5.7 | ? | Humboldt Bay, chimney, plaster damage, VII |
Oct. 29, 1864 | 5.5 | SC | Georgia Strait |
Oct. 1, 1865 | 5.4-5.7 | ? | Eureka, fissure Ft. Humboldt, VII-VIII |
Mar. 2, 1871 | 5.9 | ? | Petrolia, damage Rohnerville, intensity VIII |
Dec. 15, 1872 | 6.8 | CR | Entiat, WA |
Nov. 23, 1873 | 6.7 | SC | CA-OR border, damage to Crescent City |
Sep. 30, 1875 | 5.8 | ? | SE of Eureka, intensity VII |
Oct. 12, 1877 | 5.2 | CR | Portland, OR, intensity VII, 2 events |
May 9, 1878 | 5.8 | TF | Mendocino FZ, chimneys collapsed to Petrolia |
Apr. 30, 1882 | <6? | SC? | South Puget Sound |
Jan. 28, 1884 | 5.7 | ? | N. of Hoopa, intensity V |
Jul. 25, 1890 | 6 | ? | Damage at Ferndale and Petrolia, CA |
Nov. 29, 1891 | ? | ? | Puget Sound |
Sep. 30, 1894 | 5.6-5.8 | ? | Neat Miranda, S Humboldt Co. |
Jan. 3, 1896 | 5.3 | ? | N. Puget Sound |
Apr. 15, 1898 | 6.8 | ? | Mendocino coast, Ft. Bragg-Greenwood, intensity IX |
Apr. 16, 1899 | 6.4 | SO | Offshore Arcata, damage to Eureka, CA, Gorda Plate |
Dec. 9, 1903 | ? | SO | Offshore Eureka |
Mar. 17, 1904 | 5.3 | ? | 60 km NW Seattle, intensity VII |
Apr. 23, 1906 | 6.4 | ? | McKinleyville, Ferndale, Eureka, Trinidad, intensity VII |
Jan. 11, 1909 | 6 | SC | San Juan and Gulf islands, intensity VII |
May 18, 1909 | ? | ? | Petrolia, chimneys damaged, intensity VIII |
Oct. 28, 1909 | 6.4 | ? | Rio Dell, Rohnerville, Upper Mattole, intensity VIII |
Mar. 19, 1910 | 6 | SO | Offshore Petrolia, intensity V |
Aug. 22, 1914 | 6.75 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Dec. 31, 1915 | 6.2-6.5 | ? | Offshore Cape Mendocino |
Aug. 18, 1915 | 5.6 | CR | North Cascades, VII |
Jun. 10, 1917 | 6.5 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Jul. 15, 1918 | 6-6.5 | SO | Offshore Arcata, VI |
Dec. 6, 1918 | 7 | CR | Vancouver Island W. coas |
Sep. 15, 1919 | ? | ? | Eureka, Chimneys fell, intensity VI |
Jan. 24, 1920 | 5.5 | SC | Georgia Strait |
Jan. 26, 1922 | 6 | TF? | Offshore Cape Mendocino |
Jan. 31, 1922 | 7.3-7.6 | SO | 37 mi. W of Arcata, CA, VI, felt Klamath Falls |
Jan. 22, 1923 | 6.5-7.3 | TF | Mendocino FZ; damage at Petrolia, intensity VIII |
Feb. 24, 1924 | 5.75 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Jun. 4, 1925 | 6 | ? | Offshore W of Orick, CA |
Jun. 5, 1926 | 6 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Dec. 10, 1926 | 6 | SO | Gorda Plate, 80 mi. W of Eureka, CA |
Feb. 9, 1928 | 5.8 | SC? | SW Vancouver Island |
Sep. 11, 1928 | 6.3 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
May 26, 1929 | 7.0 | TF | SE end of Queen Charlotte Fracture Zone |
Sep. 23, 1930 | 5-5.5 | ? | Chimneys fell in Eureka, VII |
Mar. 10, 1931 | 5.6 | ? | Offshore C. Mendocino |
Sep. 9, 1931 | 5.8 | ? | Offshore Eureka, chimneys damaged, intensity VI |
Mar. 2, 1932 | 5.6 | TF? | 112 mi W. C. Mendocino |
Jun. 6, 1932 | 6.4 | SC | One death at Arcata, damage at Eureka |
Jun. 20, 1932 | 5.5 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Jul. 17, 1932 | 5.2 | CR | Duvall, NE of Seattle, VII |
Mar. 26, 1933 | 5.5 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Jul. 6, 1934 | 6.5 | SO | 56 mi. W of Trinidad, CA |
Jan. 2, 1935 | 5.8 | ? | Offshore C. Mendocino, intensity V |
Apr. 30, 1936 | 5.5 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Jun. 3, 1936 | 5.8 | TF? | 93 mi. W. C. Mendocino |
Jul. 16, 1936 | 5.1-5.5 | CR | Milton-Freewater, near OR-WA border |
Sep. 25, 1936 | 6.2 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Nov. 5, 1936 | 6 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Feb. 6, 1937 | 5.7-5.8 | ? | Offshore C. Mendocino, slight damage |
Nov. 10, 1937 | 5.75 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Aug. 3, 1938 | 5.6 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Sep. 11, 1938 | 5.5 | ? | SE C. Mendocino, slight damage Ferndale |
Nov. 13, 1939 | 5.5-6.2 | SC | Puget Sound region, intensity VII |
Nov. 17, 1940 | 6 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Nov. 19, 1940 | 5.5 | ? | Offshore C. Mendocino, slight damage |
Feb. 9, 1941 | 6.4-6.6 | SO | 60 mi. W of Eureka, NW C. Mendocino |
May 13, 1941 | 6 | ? | Offshore C. Mendocino |
Oct. 2, 1941 | 6.4 | SC | 30 mi. W of C. Mendocino |
Oct. 31, 1941 | 5.5 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Mar. 6, 1944 | 5.75 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Dec. 30, 1944 | 5.75 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Apr. 29, 1945 | 5.9 | CR | 50 km SE of Seattle, intensity VII |
May 19, 1945 | 6.2 | ? | Offshore C. Mendocino |
Feb. 15, 1946 | 5.6-6.4 | SC | Puget Sound region |
Jun. 23, 1946 | 7.3 | CR | Central Vancouver Island |
Sep. 23, 1947 | 5.6 | ? | Offshore C. Mendocino, intensity VII |
May 25, 1948 | 5.5 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
May 25, 1948 | 5.8 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Mar. 24, 1949 | 5.9 | SO | 93 mi. W of Orick |
Apr. 13, 1949 | 7.1 | SC | Olympia, WA, intensity VIII |
Aug. 22, 1949 | 8.1 | TF | Queen Charlotte Fracture Zone |
Aug. 24, 1949 | 5.5 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Feb. 23, 1951 | 5.6 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Jun. 16, 1951 | 5.5 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Jun. 17, 1951 | 6 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Oct. 8, 1951 | 5.8-6 | TF | 6 mi W of Punta Gorda |
Aug. 20, 1952 | 6 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Nov. 25, 1954 | 6.1-6.3 | TF | 65 mi. W Punta Gorda, Mendocino Fracture Zone |
Dec. 21, 1954 | 6.5-6.6 | CR | $3.1 million damage, 1 death, 12 mi NE Arcata |
Aug. 23, 1955 | 6.25 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Feb. 19, 1956 | 6.8 | SO | Pacific Plate NW of Vancouver Is. |
Oct. 11, 1956 | 6 | ? | NW of C. Mendocino, slight damage Ferndale |
Dec. 21, 1956 | 6.7 | SO | small plate near Queen Charlotte Fracture Zone |
Dec. 16, 1957 | 5.9 | SO | W. of Vancouver Is., NE of Nootka Fault |
Jul. 23, 1959 | 5.8 | SO | 56 mi. W Trinidad, CA |
Aug. 5, 1959 | 5-5.5 | CR | near Chelan, WA, intensity VI |
Sep. 26, 1959 | 6.1 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Jun. 5, 1960 | 5.7 | SO | Offshore Arcata, intensity VI |
Aug. 9, 1960 | 6-6.2 | TF | Felt S. OR to San Francisco |
Apr. 6. 1961 | 5.5 | TF | 11 mi W C. Mendocino, landslides |
Aug. 23, 1962 | 5.6 | SO | Offshore Crescent City |
Nov. 5, 1962 | 5.2-5.5 | CR | OR-WA border near Portland, OR, VII |
Jul. 13, 1964 | 5.5 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Oct. 1, 1964 | 5.5 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Oct. 29, 1964 | 5.5 | SC | Georgia Strait |
Apr. 29, 1965 | 6.5 | SC | Seattle, WA, intensity VIII |
May 31, 1965 | 5.5 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Dec. 10, 1967 | 5.6-5.8 | TF | 12 mi. W. of Petrolia, CA, slight damage |
May 8, 1968 | 6.1 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Jun. 26, 1968 | 5.5-5.9 | TF | Offshore C. Mendocino |
May 8, 1969 | 5.5 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Jun. 24, 1970 | 7.4 | TF? | Queen Charlotte TF or N. America Plate |
Nov. 26, 1970 | 6 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Mar. 13, 1971 | 6.1 | SO | W. of Vancouver Island |
Jul. 23, 1972 | 6.4 | SO | W. of Vancouver Island |
Jun. 7, 1975 | 5.2-5.7 | SC | Fortuna, CA |
Nov. 26, 1976 | 6.3 | SO | Gorda Plate, 93 mi. NW of Eureka |
Dec. 9, 1976 | 5.5 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Dec. 20, 1976 | 6.7 | SO | W. of Vancouver Is. |
Jun. 2, 1978 | 5.5 | CR | Brooks Peninsula, NW Vancouver Is. |
Jul. 25, 1978 | 5.5 | CR | Brooks Peninsula, NW Vancouver Is. |
May 18, 1980 | 5.1 | CR | Eruption of Mt. St. Helens |
Nov. 8, 1980 | 6.9-7.4 | SO | 30 mi. W Trinidad, $1.75 million damage |
Dec. 17, 1980 | 6.8 | SO | W. of Vancouver Is. |
Feb. 14, 1981 | 5.5 | CR | Elk Lake, WA on St. Helens seismic zone |
Nov. 3, 1981 | 6.4 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Aug. 24, 1983 | 5.5 | TF | Offshore C. Mendocino |
Sep. 10, 1984 | 6.6 | TF | 166 mi W of Eureka, felt OR to San Francisco |
Mar. 13, 1985 | 6.3 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Jul. 31, 1987 | 5.5 | SO or SC | Just off C. Mendocino |
Oct. 23, 1988 | 5.5 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Jul 13, 1991 | 6.7-6.9 | SO | 50 mi WNW of Crescent City |
Aug. 16, 1991 | 5.9-6.3 | SO | 62 mi W of Crescent City |
Aug. 17, 1991 | 6.2 | CR | Honeydew, CA, chimney, foundation damage |
Aug. 17, 1991 | 6.9-7.1 | SO | 62 mi W of Crescent City |
Mar. 7, 1992 | 5.3-5.6 | CR | S. of Petrolia, landslides, foundation damage |
Apr. 6, 1992 | 6.8 | TF | W. Vancouver Is., Revere-Dellwood-Wilson Fracture Zone |
Apr. 25, 1992 | 7.1 | SZ | Tsunami, coastal uplift, $48 million damage |
Apr. 26, 1992 | 6.6 | SO | 17 mi. WNW Petrolia, damage to Scotia |
Apr. 26, 1992 | 6.7 | SO | 16 mi. W Petrolia, added damage |
Aug. 21, 1992 | 5.5 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Mar. 25, 1993 | 5.6 | CR | Scotts Mills, OR, E of Salem |
Apr. 26, 1993 | 6.5 | SO | 15 mi W of Petrolia |
Sep. 20, 1993 | 6 | TF | Mendocino Fracture Zone, 85 mi W C. Mendocino |
Sep. 20, 1993 | 5.9, 6 | CR | 2 eqs. W. Klamath Falls, OR |
Sep. 1, 1994 | 6.9-7.2 | TF | 88 mi. W C. Mendocino, felt OR to San Francisco |
Oct. 27, 1994 | 5.6 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Feb. 18, 1995 | 6.6 | SO | 88 mi. WSW Eureka |
Jul. 24, 1996 | 6 | SO | 115 mi. W Crescent City |
Jan. 21, 1997 | 5.7 | TF | 1 mi NW of Punta Gorda |
Oct. 4, 1997 | 5.7 | SO | 65 mi. W Trinidad, CA |
Nov. 27, 1998 | 5.6 | SO | 60 mi. W Ferndale, CA |
Jul. 2, 1999 | 5.8 | SC | Satsop, WA |
Jan. 20, 2000 | 6.1 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Mar. 16, 2000 | 5.9 | TF | 52 mi W Petrolia |
Jun. 2, 2000 | 6.2 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Jan. 13, 2001 | 5.6 | SO | 62 mi. W Eureka |
Feb. 28, 2001 | 5.6 | SO | Nisqually Earthquake, S. Puget Sound, VII-VIII |
Jul. 9, 2002 | 6 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Sep. 2, 2002 | 5.7 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Jan. 16, 2003 | 6.2 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Nov. 19, 2007 | 5.8 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Mar. 30, 2008 | 5 | TF | TFBlanco Fracture Zone (swarm) |
Mar. 8, 2011 | 5 | TF | Blanco Fracture Zone |
Oct. 27, 2012 | 7.8 | TF | Queen Charlotte Fracture Zone |
Apr. 24, 2014 | 4.8 | TF | Queen Charlotte Fracture Zone |
Nov. 27, 2014 | 4 | CR | Sheldon Wildlife Refuge, NV (swarm) |
Jan. 28, 2015 | 5.7 | TF | Mendocino Fracture Zone |
Magnitudes for pre-seismograph earthquakes are corrected intensity magnitudes where available. Key to source: CR, crustal; SO, slab, offshore; SC, slab, beneath the continent; SZ, subduction zone; TF, transform fault