The May 16, 1976 earthquake
M5.1near Salt Spring Island, Canada, Washington
A magnitude 5.1 earthquake 38.5 miles deep, 9.6 miles off San Juan County. The 17th strongest in Washington’s record since 1900, and the strongest within 50 miles since a magnitude 5.5 on January 23, 1920.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 5.1
- body-wave magnitude (mb)
- Depth
- 38.5 mi
- 62.0 km below the surface
- Local time
- Sunday, May 16, 1976
- 01:35 PDT; 08:35 UTC
- In Washington’s record
- 17th
- strongest of 5,002 since 1900
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, event usp0000gcd (“10 km ESE of Salt Spring Island, Canada”). 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
- San Juan CountyWA · 9.6 mi
- Whatcom CountyWA · 17.1 mi
- Skagit CountyWA · 31.8 mi
- Island CountyWA · 40.6 mi
- Clallam CountyWA · 44.1 mi
Cities, largest first
- BellinghamWA · 40.5 mi
- Oak HarborWA · 48.3 mi
- Port AngelesWA · 47.2 mi
- AnacortesWA · 39.7 mi
- FerndaleWA · 35.0 mi
- LyndenWA · 42.2 mi
Earthquakes around the epicentre
72 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
- January 11, 1909M6.0
- January 23, 1920M5.5
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog. Local time is the time zone of the county nearest the epicentre. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them.