The November 12, 1939 earthquake
M6.1Puget Sound region, Washington
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake 34.2 miles deep, centred in Pierce County. The 4th strongest in Washington’s record since 1900, and the strongest within 50 miles in the catalogue, which runs from 1900.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 6.1
- moment magnitude (mw)
- Depth
- 34.2 mi
- 55.0 km below the surface
- Local time
- Sunday, November 12, 1939
- 23:46 PST; 07:46 UTC on Nov 13, 1939
- In Washington’s record
- 4th
- strongest of 5,002 since 1900
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, event iscgem902225 (“Puget Sound region, Washington”). The USGS event page carries the ShakeMap, felt reports and the official summary.
Counties and cities within 50 miles
Distance from the epicentre to each county boundary (zero when inside) and to each city centre.
Counties
- Pierce CountyWA · inside
- Kitsap CountyWA · 2.3 mi
- Mason CountyWA · 2.9 mi
- King CountyWA · 11.9 mi
- Thurston CountyWA · 15.7 mi
- Jefferson CountyWA · 17.7 mi
- Grays Harbor CountyWA · 30.4 mi
- Snohomish CountyWA · 30.9 mi
- Clallam CountyWA · 33.4 mi
- Island CountyWA · 38.5 mi
- Lewis CountyWA · 46.2 mi
Earthquakes around the epicentre
200 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles of this epicentre since 1973.
Earlier earthquakes of magnitude 5 or more within 50 miles, strongest first
- March 16, 1904M5.3
- July 17, 1932M5.2
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog. Local time is the time zone of the county nearest the epicentre. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them.