Small magnitude 2.6 earthquake felt in Yakima County, WA
YAKIMA COUNTY, Wash. - A minor magnitude 2.6 earthquake was felt in Yakima County on Wednesday night.
(USGS)
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the quake struck at 11:04 p.m. and the epicenter was located about 10.8 miles northeast of Nile, Washington at a depth of about 5.4 miles.
Why earthquakes are common in Washington
Big picture view:
Washington sits along the Cascadia Subduction Zone, where the Earth's tectonic plates are constantly shifting and earthquakes are common. Small earthquakes also occur regularly around Mount Rainier as part of the region's active geology and are closely monitored. Geologists say damage typically does not occur unless an earthquake's magnitude exceeds 4.0 or 5.0.
Places near Wednesday night's magnitude 2.6 earthquake
- Nile, Washington: 10.8 miles NE
- West Valley, Washington: 26.1 miles ESE
- Yakima, Washington: 30.3 miles ESE
- Ellensburg, Washington: 32.9 miles NE
- Olympia, Washington: 86.8 miles WNW
What you can do:
Anyone who felt the quake is encouraged to contribute to citizen science and report it to the USGS on its website.
The Source: Information in this story comes from the USGS.
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