The Olimpia earthquake, Washington happened on the 28th of February 2001. Due to the earthquake, 320 people were seriously injured and 4 were seriously hurt. The magnitude of the earthquake was 6.8 and because it was unexpected it was very hard for anybody to do something about it.

Although the earthquake happened in Washington, it caused major damage also to Portland, Seattle and Vancouver. Hundreds of building had to be closed to the building being declared unstable. Every school in Washington was closed due to the fear that the pupils may get hurt.

Transport was brought to a stand-still as almost all of the roads were split and train-tracks were damaged.
People forced to get around in the small supply of helicopters for very important journeys.



Scientist said that the Puget sound region was overdue for a damaging earthquake.

The earthquake was the most common of the three types that happen in the Pacific northwest, deep and situated in the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate that is slowly diving below the North American continental plate.

It was the 7th earthquake in the Puget sound region since 1872 that registered a magnitude 6 or higher.

The easterly side of the North American Plate is a divergent boundary with the Eurasian Plate to the north and the African Plate to the south forming the northern part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Because it is on a plate boundary it is very likely that a earthquake will happen.