QuakeIndex

explosion · reviewed by a seismologist

M 1.9ml

Earthquake near White Salmon, WA

No earthquake was likely felt in White Salmon in the 24 hours to 6:22 am PST (14:22 UTC). The last one was M 1.9, 6 km (4 mi) NW, at 1:04 pm PDT on 1 April 2026, estimated intensity II (weak) in town; 1 felt report to USGS. Every earthquake near White Salmon

No: USGS classifies this as a explosion, not an earthquake. A magnitude 1.9 explosion was recorded 6 km (4 mi) northwest of White Salmon, WA, at 1:04 pm PDT on 1 April 2026 (20:04 UTC), less than 1 km deep. 1 person has reported feeling it to USGS.

USGS: 5 km NW of White Salmon, Washington

90 km (56 mi) ENE of Portland, OR

1:04 pm PDT, Apr 1, 2026 · · -1.0 km deep · released about 23 lb of TNT

10 km30 km60 km120 km N Hood River County 29 kmSkamania County 43 kmKlickitat County 60 kmMultnomah County 72 kmWasco County 73 kmClark County 73 kmSherman County 78 kmClackamas County 84 kmYakima County 99 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
1:04 pm PDT on 1 April 2026 ()
Where
6 km (4 mi) northwest of White Salmon, WA · earthquakes near White Salmon
Magnitude
M 1.9 (ml)
Depth
-1.0 km below the surface
Felt
1 report
Nearest
Hood River County, 29 km SSW
Status
Reviewed by a seismologist

USGS · last changed by USGS · we first saw it 225 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 15 km (9 mi) from the epicentre. In White Salmon, 6 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: Hood River, Odell, Carson, Stevenson, Chenoweth, Cascade Locks.

USGS catalogues this as explosion, not an earthquake.

How big was it?

This earthquake released about 23 lb of TNT. Magnitude is logarithmic: each whole step up releases about 32 times more energy, so a magnitude 2.9 would have released about 32 times as much.

  1. Mineral, Virginia 2011 M 5.8 660,000× the energy of this one
  2. Magna, Utah 2020 M 5.7 470,000× the energy of this one
  3. Around the size people start to feel M 3.0 42× the energy of this one
  4. This earthquake M 1.9 about 23 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 45.7605, -121.5423. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Nearby places

PlaceDistanceDirection from the epicentre
Hood River County, OR 29 km (18 mi) SSW earthquakes near Hood River County
Skamania County, WA 43 km (27 mi) NW earthquakes near Skamania County
Klickitat County, WA 60 km (38 mi) ENE earthquakes near Klickitat County
Multnomah County, OR 72 km (45 mi) WSW earthquakes near Multnomah County
Wasco County, OR 73 km (45 mi) SSE earthquakes near Wasco County
Clark County, WA 73 km (45 mi) W earthquakes near Clark County

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

Aftershocks so far

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

  1. 1.3 25 km NNW of Carson, Washington
  2. 1.2 3 km S of Carson, Washington
  3. 0.8 6 km ENE of Government Camp, Oregon
  4. 0.9 8 km NNE of Government Camp, Oregon
  5. 1.1 6 km ENE of Government Camp, Oregon
  6. 0.8 23 km N of Trout Lake, Washington
  7. 0.8 9 km NNE of Government Camp, Oregon
  8. 0.4 6 km NE of Government Camp, Oregon
  9. 1.4 9 km NNE of Government Camp, Oregon
  10. 0.9 23 km N of Trout Lake, Washington
  11. 0.0 7 km ENE of Government Camp, Oregon
  12. 2.2 27 km ENE of Yacolt, Washington
  13. 1.6 6 km SE of Odell, Oregon
  14. 1.7 3 km NE of Dallesport, 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.