February 28th, 2001 and the Pacific Northwest shook.

On this day in the year 2001, the pacific northwest experienced the Nisqually Earthquake, a 6.8 magnitude, at 10:54 am. Following this event, many mitigating activities started to take place.

Today, the region will soon have an early earthquake warning system, increased seismic standards are built into our building codes, many critical infrastructure buildings have been retrofitted to newer seismic standards, we have a new Highway 99 tunnel to replace the damaged Seattle viaduct and increased planning and mitigating activities to prepare for the next day the earth shakes.

Learn ways to prepare yourself for the next earthquake, get 2 Weeks Ready in Oregon and Washington.

Here are some articles highlighting this historic day.

“What if we had earthquake early warning during the Nisqually earthquake?” Washington State Emergency Management Department

“Lessons from the Nisqually quake that shook Pacific Northwest 18 years ago” King 5 News