PORT TOWNSEND, Wash. — Residents across western Washington felt an earthquake Sunday evening that registered a magnitude 4.3.
The earthquake began at 7:21 p.m., according to the United States Geological Survey. Harold Tobin, director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, said the earthquake epicenter was near Port Townsend near Marrowstone Island. The earthquake was felt as far north as Vancouver, British Columbia and as far south as Olympia.
Tobin said there have not been aftershocks, but an earthquake around this size usually happens every few years. If the earthquake's magnitude surpassed five, alerts would have been sent out using the same system in last week's tests. An earthquake would have to be in the 6-7 magnitude territory to see damage, Tobin told KING 5.
Tobin said people should have their earthquake plans just in case.
"I really see an earthquake like this as a wakeup call for all of us," Tobin said. "A reminder that we live in earthquake country."
The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center said in a tweet Sunday night that a tsunami is not expected from the earthquake.
According to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest states of Washington and Oregon result from slip-on faults in a variety of geographic and geologic settings.
Earthquakes in much of the region are a consequence of stresses associated with the motion of the Juan de Fuca Oceanic Plate to the northeast with respect to the North America Continental Plate at a rate of several centimeters per year.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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