Beware of Earthquakes in WA, the Great Shakeout is Oct. 19th

Do we get earthquakes in Washington? Yes, and there could be more.

Just last Sunday, a 4.3 magnitude quake originated about 40 miles southeast of British Columbia. Some in Seattle felt soft shaking that was over almost as fast as it came on. I have a friend who felt the quake on Whidbey Island. She reported that the house shook and everything glass rattled. She said, “It stopped as fast as it started.”

The Great Washington ShakeOut takes place on Thursday, October 19th.

It’s part of the International ShakeOut Day. At 10:19 am millions of people worldwide will participate in earthquake drills at school, work, and home. Those taking part should plan to drop, cover, and hold on. According to the Washington Military Department:

At 10:19 a.m. on Oct. 19, you’re invited to drop, cover and hold on wherever you are – whether it’s at work, home or school. At about the same time, more than 120 Washington tsunami sirens along the inner and outer coast will be tested using the real wailing sound of a tsunami warning, not the Westminster Chimes that are typically used during the monthly tests. NOAA Weather Radios will also sound an alarm.

The ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System can send an alert to your phone.

The system does not predict when or where an earthquake will occur or how long it will last; it detects an earthquake that has already begun, and alerts areas that will experience weak or greater shaking.

You can download the MyShake app here.

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