The Nisqually Earthquake: Not Quite "the Big One"

On February 28th 1998, the city of Seattle experienced a shocking 6.8 magnitude earthquake. The later titled Nisqually earthquake, originated from the epicenter located near the Nisqually river. It lasted about 40 seconds, an estimated 200 people were injured and it indirectly cause 7 deaths. The earthquake in total reportedly caused over $1 billion dollars in damages, mostly in the city of Olympia and in Seattle’s Pioneer Square, which contains many brick building that fell and caused damages to surrounding areas.

Car crushed by fallen bricks in Seattle's Pioneer square
(image from Crowley)

This earthquake has alerted the city to a much larger threat on the horizon. Seattle is located near the Juan de Fuca plate boundary, where the Juan de Fuca plate is subducted under the North American plate, making the area susceptible to large earthquakes. Seismologists

Building in Seattle's Pioneer square after the Nisqually earthquake
(image from "Nisqually Earthquake 2001")

have forecasted a devastating earthquake to hit the western side of Washington they call “The Big One”. Since the discovery of this inevitability, the city has been taking small steps toward become more earthquake safe: making stricter building codes, and more frequent and drastic building reinforcement. Though the Nisqually earthquake was tiny compared to what is coming, it was a wake-up call to Seattle residents and city officials. Since then, the city has been taking strides to make Seattle more earthquake safe. For example, the beloved Alaskan way Viaduct, a large and primitive structure that runs along the waterfront on the western side of Seattle, is in the process of being retired, a $2.2 billion endeavor.

Seattle's Alaskan Way viaduct
 (image from Lindblom)

After the Nisqually earthquake the city inspected the viaduct and found plenty of earthquake damage. They currently inspect it twice a year for earthquake safety until it's projected closure on January 11th 2019. In the following February, highway 99 will be reopen in the form of a more earthquake safe tunnel. There is virtual no way to be fully prepared for “The Big One”, but the city of Seattle has been taking steps towards to create a safe city since the Nisqually earthquake.

Sources:

Constantine, Dow. “15 Years after the Nisqually Earthquake, King County Prepares for ‘the Big One.’” King County, 26 Feb. 2016.

Crowley, Walt. “Earthquake Registering 6.8 on Richter Scale Jolts Seattle and Puget Sound on February 28, 2001.” History Link.org, 1 Mar. 2001.

Lindblom, Mike. “Permanent Closure of Alaskan Way Viaduct Delayed.” The Seattle Times, The Seattle Times Company, 3 Oct. 2018.

“Nisqually Earthquake 2001.” Pacific Engineering Technologies, Inc.

Robertson, Kipp. “Years after Nisqually Quake: Are We Ready for the 'Big One'?” MyNorthwest.com, 28 Feb. 2018.