What's Happening in Kirkland, WA…

Pacific Northwest Seismic Network scientists say they have recently detected a number of small earthquakes beneath Kirkland. The quakes have been located in different places, between just north of the city’s downtown and Moss Bay.

On March 1, at approximately 4:30 pm, a magnitude 1.5 quake was detected and was the first in the series. A second quake, magnitude 1.4, struck on March 3, near the Peter Kirk Park in downtown Kirkland. A third quake, also a magnitude 1.4, was detected on March 6. This tremor was detected close to the intersection of 13th Avenue and 6th Street.

Humans are unusually unable to feel earthquakes with small magnitudes such as these. In fact, the scientists at the network had no reports from locals about earthquake activity, meaning only machines were able to feel the tremors.

Washington State, and in particular the area of Puget Sound, which includes Kirkland, is crisscrossed by dozens of earthquake fault lines. Earthquakes in the area might come from one of three sources, but the most likely appear to be crustal earthquakes, caused by stress and movement of the faults. These are usually less than 16 miles deep, and appear to be the type that Kirkland experienced.

Events like this can cause concern, so officials might like to work with a brochure printer to create a pamphlet for residents explaining residents’ best course of action during emergencies, and noting that minor tremors are nothing to worry about.