The December 15, 1953 earthquake
M5.0near Portland, Oregon
A magnitude 5.0 earthquake, centred in Multnomah County. The 8th strongest in Oregon’s record since 1900, and the strongest within 50 miles in the catalogue, which runs from 1900.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 5.0
- as reported (uk)
- Depth
- —
- Not recorded
- Local time
- Tuesday, December 15, 1953
- 20:32 PST; 04:32 UTC on Dec 16, 1953
- In Oregon’s record
- 8th
- strongest of 861 since 1900
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, event ushis1907 (“3 km SW of Portland, Oregon”). 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
- Multnomah CountyOR · inside
- Washington CountyOR · 2.5 mi
- Clackamas CountyOR · 3.5 mi
- Clark CountyWA · 8.2 mi
- Yamhill CountyOR · 14.7 mi
- Columbia CountyOR · 16.1 mi
- Marion CountyOR · 16.7 mi
- Skamania CountyWA · 22.1 mi
- Cowlitz CountyWA · 24.6 mi
- Tillamook CountyOR · 29.9 mi
- Polk CountyOR · 34.4 mi
- Clatsop CountyOR · 37.3 mi
- Hood River CountyOR · 37.9 mi
- Linn CountyOR · 48.9 mi
Cities, largest first
- PortlandOR · 3.5 mi
- VancouverWA · 10.7 mi
- SalemOR · 42.8 mi
- GreshamOR · 12.5 mi
- HillsboroOR · 11.5 mi
- BeavertonOR · 5.9 mi
- TigardOR · 6.7 mi
- Lake OswegoOR · 6.0 mi
- KeizerOR · 37.8 mi
- LongviewWA · 46.4 mi
- Oregon CityOR · 12.1 mi
- McMinnvilleOR · 31.1 mi
Earthquakes around the epicentre
52 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles of this epicentre since 1973.
No earlier earthquake of magnitude 5 or more within 50 miles in the catalogue since 1900.
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog. Local time is the time zone of the county nearest the epicentre. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them.