Earthquake swarm strikes in Washington near Lake Stevens, Granite Falls

By MyNorthwest.com, Staff report | July 1, 2016

A swarm of earthquakes struck an area of Washington near Everett Friday, July 1. (MyNorthwest Earthquake Tracker)

Twelve earthquakes have struck the same area of Washington within hours of each other — two of which registered above 3.0.

The USGS reports that a magnitude-3.4 earthquake shook near Lake Stevens and Granite Falls around 11:36 a.m. Friday. Four people recorded feeling the quake as of 11:53 a.m. More than 10 people recorded feeling the quake by 11:55 a.m.

Initial reports pinpointed the first quake was about seven miles from Lake Stevens. That was soon changed to about 8.7 miles away from Lake Stevens and 6.2 miles from Granit Falls.

All the quakes have been between 6 and 12 miles in depth — the first being the deepest. Over Friday afternoon, the shakes kept coming.

• 1.9 about 7 miles from Granite Falls.

• 3.0 about 5.5. miles from Three Lakes.

• 1.7 was about 5 miles from Three Lakes.

• 1.1 about 6 miles from Granite Falls.

• 2.5 about 6 miles from Three lakes.

• 1.2 about 6 miles from Three Lakes.

• .8 about 8 miles from Granite Falls.

• 1.5 about 7 miles from Granite Falls.

• 1.0 about 7 miles from Granite Falls.

• 2.7 about 6 miles from Three Lakes.

• 0.9 about 6 miles from Granite Falls.

According to John Vidale with the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, the latter quakes are considered aftershocks due to their location and timing around the largest shake. Vidale called the earthquakes a "swarm."

This article used information from MyNorthwest's Earthquake Tracker and the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network.

http://mynorthwest.com/332194/magnitude-3-4-earthquake-recorded-near-lake-stevens/
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