Stay Eat Events Weather Beaches

4.5 Quake Off Oregon Coast: No Damage or Tsunami Alert

Published 02/19/2020 at 6:28 PM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

4.5 Quake Off Oregon Coast: No Damage or Tsunami Alert

Latest Coastal Lodging News Alerts
In Seaside:
Includes exclusive listings; some specials in winter
In Cannon Beach:
Includes rentals not listed anywhere else
In Manzanita, Wheeler, Rockaway Beach:
Some specials for winter
In Pacific City, Oceanside:
Some specials for winter
In Lincoln City:
Some specials for winter
In Depoe Bay, Gleneden Beach:
Some specials for winter
In Newport:
Look for some specials
In Waldport
Some specials for winter
In Yachats, Florence
Some specials for winter

(Coos Bay, Oregon) – A smallish quake shook the floor off the Oregon coast early Wednesday afternoon, taking place almost 200 miles west of Bandon, Oregon. According to the USGS, the magnitude 4.5 quake happened at 1:38 p.m., at a depth of about six miles beneath the sea floor.

No injuries were reported and no tsunami alert was possible at such a low magnitude. It takes a magnitude 7.0 or higher to create a tsunami.

USGS is reporting it received six reports of people feeling the quake on land, however.

Another slightly higher quake shook that area on February 8. That quake was a magnitude 4.7 and also caused no issues.

All these took place in the Blanco Fracture, which is somewhat connected to the larger Juan de Fuca fracture. This is all in the vicinity of the volcanic hot spot known as the Cascadia Subduction Zone, where the Juan de Fuca plate is slowly separating from the Pacific Plate, but it is the Blanco causing small quakes to happen with regularity.

The Blanco fracture isn’t a subduction zone in itself, like the larger Cascadia zone which will someday produce a massive quake off the Oregon coast. Hence, the Blanco fracture can’t set off such a quake on its own, but it could produce something around a magnitude 7 quake. Some studies suggest if this spot produces a quake that large it could trigger something larger from the Cascadia Subduction Zone.

Keep an eye on Oregon coast quakes: Oregon, Coast Earthquake Updates - Live Data Oregon, Washington, California, Tsunamis









Above: Bandon, courtesy Bandon Visitors Center

More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....

 

Oregon Coast event or adventure you can't miss

 



Coastal Spotlight


LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

Those Mysterious Shafts of Sunlight Beaming Out from Oregon Coast Skies
A curious weather phenomenon that happens more out here
Curb, Road Construction Resumes in Lincoln City as Oregon Coast Season Begins...
Crews return Sept 15 with some dust and small delays. Traffi
NASA Announces First Evidence of Life on Mars in Possible Biosignature
In a former riverbed billions of years old, they found spots with interesting compounds. Astronomy
Portland, Oregon - Beaverton, Oregon Weather and Alerts | Current Conditions,...
Current weather conditions and alerts for Portland and Beaverton
Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad's Fame Engine Turns 100 Years Old with Special Runs
Sept 20 and 21 various special rides. Garibaldi events, Rockaway Beach events, Wheeler events
South Oregon Coast Goes Interstellar: Coos Bay's Sunset Bay Astronomy Fest Se...
Shore Acres State Park gets spacey. Coos Bay events
Swarm of 12 Quakes Fire Off 100 Miles from South Oregon Coast
After the initial 5.8, ranging in magnitude from 2.7 to 5.1: Coos Bay, Port Orford, Bandon, Gold Beach. Geology, weather
SOLVE Cleanup Happens Along Oregon Coast, Inland Sept 20 Through 28
SOLVE is inviting volunteers to take part. Brookings events, Gold Beach events, Port Orford events, Coos Bay events, Bandon events, Florence events, Yachats events, Newport events, Lincoln City events, Rockaway Beach events, Manzanita events, Cannon Beach events, Seaside events, Astoria events

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net
All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted

Oregon Coast Lodging
Rentals
Specials

Dining

Events Calendar

Oregon Coast Weather

Travel News

Search for Oregon Coast Subjects, Articles

Virtual Tours, Maps
Deep Details