QuakeIndex

explosion · reviewed by a seismologist

M 1.7ml

Earthquake near Aberdeen, WA

No earthquake was likely felt in Aberdeen in the 24 hours to 2:37 pm PST (22:37 UTC). The last one was M 4.2, 95 km (59 mi) ENE, at 2:05 pm PDT on 29 September 2026, estimated intensity II (weak) in town; 9,329 felt reports to USGS. Every earthquake near Aberdeen

No: USGS classifies this as a explosion, not an earthquake. A magnitude 1.7 explosion was recorded 31 km (19 mi) south-southwest of Aberdeen, WA, at 5:35 pm PDT on 11 July 2019 (00:35 UTC), less than 1 km deep.

USGS: 2 km E of Tokeland, Washington

5:35 pm PDT, Jul 11, 2019 · · -0.2 km deep · released about 10 lb of TNT

10 km30 km60 km120 km N Pacific County 21 kmGrays Harbor County 46 kmWahkiakum County 61 kmClatsop County 78 kmThurston County 89 kmMason County 92 kmColumbia County 108 kmCowlitz County 113 km
Distance rings around the epicentre, with the nearest towns at their true direction and later quakes as coloured dots. Not a shaking map — see the USGS ShakeMap for that.
When
5:35 pm PDT on 11 July 2019 ()
Where
31 km (19 mi) south-southwest of Aberdeen, WA · earthquakes near Aberdeen
Magnitude
M 1.7 (ml)
Depth
-0.2 km below the surface
Felt
no reports yet
Nearest
Pacific County, 21 km SE
Status
Reviewed by a seismologist

USGS · last changed by USGS · we first saw it 2681 days ago

This was a minor earthquake. Quakes this small are rarely felt and do not cause damage.

At this magnitude and depth, people at rest would likely notice it out to about 12 km (7 mi) from the epicentre. In Aberdeen, 31 km away, the estimate is intensity II (weak). Estimated from magnitude, depth and distance with the intensity equation USGS Did You Feel It? uses; felt reports, where there are any, are the measurement.

Earthquakes near other towns within 30 km: South Bend, Raymond, Westport, Ocean Park.

USGS catalogues this as explosion, not an earthquake.

How big was it?

This earthquake released about 10 lb of TNT. Magnitude is logarithmic: each whole step up releases about 32 times more energy, so a magnitude 2.7 would have released about 32 times as much.

  1. Mineral, Virginia 2011 M 5.8 1,500,000× the energy of this one
  2. Magna, Utah 2020 M 5.7 1,000,000× the energy of this one
  3. Around the size people start to feel M 3.0 92× the energy of this one
  4. This earthquake M 1.7 about 10 lb of TNT

Energy from the Gutenberg–Richter relation (log10E = 1.5M + 4.8), rounded to two figures; bar length is magnitude, which is already a logarithm of energy. Magnitudes of past earthquakes from the USGS catalogue.

For this area

No earthquake of M4 or more has been recorded within 50 km since our catalogue begins in 2016.

Before 2016, the USGS record since 1900 lists no earthquake of M5 or more within 50 km.

Since 2016: the QuakeIndex catalogue (US, M1.5+), built from the USGS FDSN event service. Before 2016: USGS ComCat, M5+ from 1900. Distances are between epicentres. This is the record, not a forecast.

Where

Epicentre 46.7087, -123.9467. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Nearby places

PlaceDistanceDirection from the epicentre
Pacific County, WA 21 km (13 mi) SE earthquakes near Pacific County
Grays Harbor County, WA 46 km (29 mi) NNE earthquakes near Grays Harbor County
Wahkiakum County, WA 61 km (38 mi) SE earthquakes near Wahkiakum County
Clatsop County, OR 78 km (49 mi) SSE earthquakes near Clatsop County
Thurston County, WA 89 km (55 mi) ENE earthquakes near Thurston County
Mason County, WA 92 km (57 mi) NE earthquakes near Mason County

Places and coordinates from the US Census Bureau Gazetteer (2024). Distances are from the epicentre.

Aftershocks so far

46 earthquakes have been recorded within 50 km since this one.

  1. 1.1 5 km N of Tokeland, Washington
  2. 1.5 8 km NNW of Ocean Park, Washington
  3. 1.6 2 km NE of Hoquiam, Washington
  4. 1.6 5 km NNW of South Bend, Washington
  5. 1.4 20 km SW of Grayland, Washington
  6. 1.8 2 km WSW of Ocean City, Washington
  7. 1.7 14 km S of Cosmopolis, Washington
  8. 1.5 10 km NNE of Tokeland, Washington
  9. 1.8 3 km WSW of South Bend, Washington
  10. 1.8 3 km S of Willapa, Washington
  11. 1.9 12 km SSE of Cosmopolis, Washington
  12. 1.9 8 km NW of Aberdeen Gardens, Washington
  13. 1.9 12 km SW of Lebam, Washington
  14. 1.7 11 km S of Humptulips, Washington
  15. 2.0 9 km SSW of Humptulips, Washington

Counted from the QuakeIndex database, which ingests the USGS feed every 30 seconds · as of . QuakeIndex does not forecast aftershocks. When USGS issues an operational aftershock forecast it appears on the USGS event page.

On USGS

QuakeIndex does not issue warnings. For earthquake early warning see ShakeAlert.