February 28, 2001 Earthquake: Olympia, Seattle, Tacoma, Washington, United States

Name: February 28, 2001 Earthquake: Olympia, Seattle, Tacoma, Washington, United States
Start: 2001-02-28
Location: Olympia, Seattle, Tacoma, Washington, United States

February 28, 2001 · M6.8 · 1 death · $2 billion

A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Olympia, Seattle, Tacoma, Washington, United States on February 28, 2001 at 18:54:32 UTC, 52 km below the surface. It killed 1 person.

Map

Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.

The earthquake

Date: February 28, 2001
Time: 18:54:32 UTC
Place: Olympia, Seattle, Tacoma, Washington, United States
Magnitude: 6.8 (Mw)
Focal depth: 52 km (32 mi)
Intensity: 8 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Tsunami: None recorded
Epicenter: 47.149° N, 122.727° W
Country: United States

The toll

Deaths: 1
Injuries: 400
Damage: $2 billion

Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

About 400 people injured and major damage

in the Seattle-Tacoma-Olympia area. Maximum intensity

(VIII) in the Capitol Hill area of Olympia and in the

Pioneer Square area south of downtown Seattle.

Preliminary estimates of damage are between 1 and 4

billion U.S. dollars. Felt from central Oregon to

southern British Columbia and as far east as

northwestern Montana. The maximum recorded

acceleration was 0.3g at Seward Park. Landslides

occurred in the Tacoma area and near Renton.

Liquefaction and sand blows occurred in parts of

Olympia and South Seattle. (reference #1053)

Reference #1250 lists 2 billion U.S. dollars and 1 death.

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

Significant earthquakes of 2001 The 2000s Every quake the USGS located in 2001 Recent earthquakes near here This day in weather history

Sources

Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 5595.