The Nisqually Quake, 25 years later

At 10:40 a.m. on February 28, 2001, the magnitude 6.8 Nisqually earthquake struck the Puget Sound region, shaking the ground for more than 40 seconds and causing billions of dollars in damage.

Do you remember where you were?

The epicenter lay about 30 miles beneath the ground, northeast of Olympia, but the quake was felt from Oregon to British Columbia to Idaho. It was the latest in a series of large earthquakes to hit the Puget Sound region over a 52-year span. About 400 people were injured.

In the aftermath, bridges, state offices in Olympia, Boeing factories, and schools closed for inspection. The Fourth Avenue Bridge in downtown Olympia was so badly damaged it was later demolished and rebuilt. Damage to Seattle’s Alaskan Way Viaduct ultimately helped drive the decision to replace it with the SR 99 tunnel.

On the 20th anniversary, KING 5 revisited the quake. It’s worth another look—and a reminder.

We were lucky that day. Damage, while costly, was limited. Can we count on that kind of luck next time?