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Earthquakes

What causes an earthquake?

Earthquakes occur nearly every day in Washington. Most are too small to be felt or cause damage. Large earthquakes are less common but can cause significant damage to the things we count on in everyday life, such as buildings, roads, bridges, dams, and utilities.

An earthquake is a naturally induced shaking of the ground. It is caused by an abrupt shift of rock along a fracture in the Earth’s crust, called a fault. Earthquakes directly and indirectly affect all of Pierce County, whether that’s from ground shaking, liquefaction, or resulting landslides and tsunamis.

What to do

Before an earthquake

  • Secure items such as televisions and objects that hang on walls. Store heavy and breakable objects on low shelves.
  • Practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On with family and coworkers.
    • Drop to your hands and knees.
    • Cover your head and neck with your arms.
    • Crawl only as far as needed to reach cover from falling materials.
    • Hold on to any sturdy furniture until the shaking stops.
  • Create a family emergency communication plan that has an out-of-state contact. Plan where to meet if you get separated.
  • Make an emergency supply kit that includes enough food and water for at least three days, a flashlight, a fire extinguisher, and a whistle.
    • Consider each person’s specific needs, including medication. Do not forget the needs of pets. Have extra batteries and charging devices for phones and other critical equipment. Consider earthquake insurance policies.
  • Standard homeowner’s insurance does not cover earthquake damage. Consider a retrofit of your building if it has structural issues that make it vulnerable to collapse during an earthquake

During an earthquake

  • Drop, Cover, and Hold On like you practiced. Drop to your hands and knees. Cover your head and neck with your arms. Hold on to any sturdy furniture until the shaking stops. Crawl only if you can reach better cover without going through an area with more debris.
  • If in bed, stay there and cover your head and neck with a pillow.
  • If inside, stay there until the shaking stops. DO NOT run outside.
  • If in a vehicle, stop in a clear area that is away from buildings, trees, overpasses, underpasses, or utility wires.

After an earthquake

  • Expect aftershocks to follow the largest shock of an earthquake sequence.
  • Check yourself for injury.
  • If in a damaged building, go outside and quickly move away from the building. Do not enter damaged buildings.
  • If you are trapped, send a text or bang on a wall. Cover your mouth for protection and instead of shouting, use a whistle.

Additional resources: