At 10:54 A.M. Pacific Standard Time on Wednesday, February 28, 2001, a magnitude 6.8 Benioff zone earthquake shook southern Puget Sound. The Nisqually earthquake was centered at latitude 47.1525N, longitude 122.7197W at a depth of 52.4 km. The epicenter, located adjacent to the Nisqually River delta, was at the same location as the magnitude 7.1 earthquake on April 29, 1945. The state capital, Olympia, is located 18 km (11 mi) southwest of the epicenter. Aftershocks followed on March 1st, with a 3.4 magnitude earthquake at 1:10 a.m. followed by a 2.7 magnitude earthquake at 6:23 a.m.
 Road failure at Sunset Lake, Tumwater
(Photo: Steven Kramer, University of Washington) |  Path at Capitol Lake, Olympia
(Photo: Karl Wegmann, Geology and Earth Resources Division) |
 Collapsed chimney, Olympia
(Photo: Karl Wegmann, Geology and Earth Resources Division) |  Landslide at U.S. Hwy. 101 northwest of Olympia
(Photo: Karl Wegmann, Geology and Earth Resources Division) |
Geology and Earth Resources Division geologists at work after the earthquake
Map of some ground failure and structural damage observations made by our geologists in the south Puget Sound area after the earthquake
(Map by Karl W. Wegmann, Geology and Earth Resources Division)