As a reporter called Lewis County Emergency Management Deputy Director on Wednesday afternoon, he answered, “What’s shaking?”
At 12:56 p.m., the National Weather Service reported seismic activity in East Lewis County, amounting to a 2.9 magnitude earthquake at a depth of 7.9 miles. The quake was reportedly 4 miles west of Packwood and 15 miles southeast of Ashford.
“So, right about in Randle,” McDowell said.
The Richter scale measures earthquakes from sizes 0 to 9, with anything around 2 to 3 categorized as “minor.”
Only one citizen called emergency management having felt the quake, but confirmed reports of the seismic shimmy prompted the department to reach out to fire stations in Randle and Packwood. The departments reported feeling the quake as well. McDowell advised them to keep an ear open for reports of damage and to observe the roadways.
“Even something like this that’s so deep and at such a low level, you can get some damage to the road, cracks to the road and things like that. If anybody reports any damage, (we want the fire departments to) get them in here to us,” he said.
He explained the closer a quake is to the ground’s surface, the more it can be felt. Both the depth of this quake and its magnitude meant it was unlikely to be a cause of significant damage. The department is also not anticipating any water-related instances from the small shake, with McDowell adding it was unlikely to cause even a “ripple” on Riffe or Mayfield lakes.
However, he added, there is concern that the 2.9 quake could be a precursor to a larger one. As McDowell illustrated earlier this year in a “Cascadia Rising” informative training, aftershocks can be smaller or larger than the first earthquake they follow.
Learn more about the local emergency response and how to report damages from disasters at https://lewiscountywa.gov/departments/emergency-management/.
