KING COUNTY, Wash. — A second earthquake of at least 2.5 magnitude in 12 hours struck Thursday afternoon in western Washington.

The 3.2 magnitude earthquake was recorded about 4.5 miles northeast of Fall City in east King County. This earthquake comes just hours after a 2.8 magnitude struck in Bremerton early on Thursday morning.

The initial shake map from the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) shows that the afternoon seismic activity likely could be felt as far as Renton and Gold Bar.

Thursday’s earthquakes follows several other seismic events that have shaken western Washington. A 3.4 magnitude earthquake hit near Auburn on Feb. 22, and just a day prior to that, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck near British Columbia.

Many earthquakes in Washington state are linked to the motion of the Juan de Fuca Plate and the North American Continental Plate moving against each other as the Juan de Fuca Plate slips beneath the North American continent, according to PNSN. This is called the Cascadia Subduction Zone. 

According to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), earthquakes happen in Washington every day, but most are too small to be felt. The state has the second highest risk in the U.S. of experiencing a large and damaging earthquake because of its geologic setting. 

The Pacific Northwest typically experiences three types of earthquakes: 

• Shallow fault quakes: Ruptures in faults located in the upper 18 miles of the Earth’s crust. These earthquakes typically last 20 to 60 seconds and shaking is localized to the area near the fault, according to the DNR.  
• Deep earthquakes: Deep faults happen when two tectonic plates collide and one plate slips beneath the other one. These quakes can impact a large area but are less intense. 
• Subduction zone earthquakes: This earthquake results from the tension of an oceanic plate slipping beneath a continental plate. When enough stress builds, the fault will rupture, releasing a massive amount of energy. The Cascadia Subduction Zone has the potential for these types of earthquakes and has ruptured in the past. It is one of Washington state’s biggest hazards, according to DNR.

KING COUNTY, Wash. — A second earthquake of at least 2.5 magnitude in 12 hours struck Thursday afternoon in western Washington.

The 3.2 magnitude earthquake was recorded about 4.5 miles northeast of Fall City in east King County. This earthquake comes just hours after a 2.8 magnitude struck in Bremerton early on Thursday morning.

The initial shake map from the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) shows that the afternoon seismic activity likely could be felt as far as Renton and Gold Bar.

Thursday’s earthquakes follows several other seismic events that have shaken western Washington. A 3.4 magnitude earthquake hit near Auburn on Feb. 22, and just a day prior to that, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck near British Columbia.

Many earthquakes in Washington state are linked to the motion of the Juan de Fuca Plate and the North American Continental Plate moving against each other as the Juan de Fuca Plate slips beneath the North American continent, according to PNSN. This is called the Cascadia Subduction Zone. 

According to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), earthquakes happen in Washington every day, but most are too small to be felt. The state has the second highest risk in the U.S. of experiencing a large and damaging earthquake because of its geologic setting. 

The Pacific Northwest typically experiences three types of earthquakes: 

• Shallow fault quakes: Ruptures in faults located in the upper 18 miles of the Earth’s crust. These earthquakes typically last 20 to 60 seconds and shaking is localized to the area near the fault, according to the DNR.  
• Deep earthquakes: Deep faults happen when two tectonic plates collide and one plate slips beneath the other one. These quakes can impact a large area but are less intense. 
• Subduction zone earthquakes: This earthquake results from the tension of an oceanic plate slipping beneath a continental plate. When enough stress builds, the fault will rupture, releasing a massive amount of energy. The Cascadia Subduction Zone has the potential for these types of earthquakes and has ruptured in the past. It is one of Washington state’s biggest hazards, according to DNR.

KING COUNTY, Wash. — A second earthquake of at least 2.5 magnitude in 12 hours struck Thursday afternoon in western Washington.

The 3.2 magnitude earthquake was recorded about 4.5 miles northeast of Fall City in east King County. This earthquake comes just hours after a 2.8 magnitude struck in Bremerton early on Thursday morning.

The initial shake map from the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) shows that the afternoon seismic activity likely could be felt as far as Renton and Gold Bar.

Thursday’s earthquakes follows several other seismic events that have shaken western Washington. A 3.4 magnitude earthquake hit near Auburn on Feb. 22, and just a day prior to that, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck near British Columbia.

Many earthquakes in Washington state are linked to the motion of the Juan de Fuca Plate and the North American Continental Plate moving against each other as the Juan de Fuca Plate slips beneath the North American continent, according to PNSN. This is called the Cascadia Subduction Zone. 

According to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), earthquakes happen in Washington every day, but most are too small to be felt. The state has the second highest risk in the U.S. of experiencing a large and damaging earthquake because of its geologic setting. 

The Pacific Northwest typically experiences three types of earthquakes: 

• Shallow fault quakes: Ruptures in faults located in the upper 18 miles of the Earth’s crust. These earthquakes typically last 20 to 60 seconds and shaking is localized to the area near the fault, according to the DNR.  
• Deep earthquakes: Deep faults happen when two tectonic plates collide and one plate slips beneath the other one. These quakes can impact a large area but are less intense. 
• Subduction zone earthquakes: This earthquake results from the tension of an oceanic plate slipping beneath a continental plate. When enough stress builds, the fault will rupture, releasing a massive amount of energy. The Cascadia Subduction Zone has the potential for these types of earthquakes and has ruptured in the past. It is one of Washington state’s biggest hazards, according to DNR.

KING COUNTY, Wash. — A second earthquake of at least 2.5 magnitude in 12 hours struck Thursday afternoon in western Washington.

The 3.2 magnitude earthquake was recorded about 4.5 miles northeast of Fall City in east King County. This earthquake comes just hours after a 2.8 magnitude struck in Bremerton early on Thursday morning.

The initial shake map from the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) shows that the afternoon seismic activity likely could be felt as far as Renton and Gold Bar.

Thursday’s earthquakes follows several other seismic events that have shaken western Washington. A 3.4 magnitude earthquake hit near Auburn on Feb. 22, and just a day prior to that, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck near British Columbia.

Many earthquakes in Washington state are linked to the motion of the Juan de Fuca Plate and the North American Continental Plate moving against each other as the Juan de Fuca Plate slips beneath the North American continent, according to PNSN. This is called the Cascadia Subduction Zone. 

According to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), earthquakes happen in Washington every day, but most are too small to be felt. The state has the second highest risk in the U.S. of experiencing a large and damaging earthquake because of its geologic setting. 

The Pacific Northwest typically experiences three types of earthquakes: 

• Shallow fault quakes: Ruptures in faults located in the upper 18 miles of the Earth’s crust. These earthquakes typically last 20 to 60 seconds and shaking is localized to the area near the fault, according to the DNR.  
• Deep earthquakes: Deep faults happen when two tectonic plates collide and one plate slips beneath the other one. These quakes can impact a large area but are less intense. 
• Subduction zone earthquakes: This earthquake results from the tension of an oceanic plate slipping beneath a continental plate. When enough stress builds, the fault will rupture, releasing a massive amount of energy. The Cascadia Subduction Zone has the potential for these types of earthquakes and has ruptured in the past. It is one of Washington state’s biggest hazards, according to DNR.