Oregon earthquake: 6.3 magnitude quake strikes by US coast
Tsunami warnings have not been issued
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The United States Geological Survey says a 6.3 magnitude earthquake has struck roughly 170 miles off the coast of Oregon, in the western United States.
The earthquake was detected south of Portland, in an area that has a relatively small population.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Tsunami Warning Centre did not immediately issue a tsunami warning for the area after the earthquake was detected.
The tremor comes just after the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network reported detecting more than 4,500 small earthquakes over a two week span, deep underneath the Olympic Peninsula and outer Vancouver Island. The areas impacted by those tremors also included an area spanning from near Eugene, Oregon — close to where the Thursday earthquake was seen — down to the Siskiyou Mountains in northern California.
Those earthquakes were part of a phenomenon known to scientists as "episodic tremor and slip" or "slow slip", which apparently happens on a regular basis along Cascadia's tectonic plate boundary.
The earthquake, while large, is unlikely to cause much harm, as the closest population centres are likely too far to be significantly impacted.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments