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Shallow 2.5-magnitude earthquake strikes near Forks, WA

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Published  May 12, 2025 11:51am PDT
Earthquakes
FOX 13 Seattle

The Brief

    • A 2.5M earthquake was felt near Forks, Washington on Sunday afternoon.
    • The earthquake struck at a depth of -0.19 miles, indicating it was a very shallow quake.

FORKS, Wash. - A shallow magnitude 2.5 earthquake struck near Forks, Washington, on Sunday. 

A 2.5 magnitude earthquake struck near Forks, Washington on Sunday. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the quake struck at around 3:02 p.m. about 5 miles east southeast of Forks. Seismologists are reporting that the quake occurred at a depth of -0.19 miles. HOW CAN AN EARTHQUAKE HAVE A NEGATIVE DEPTH? While it might seem impossible, a negative earthquake depth does not mean the quake occurred in the air. According to the USGS, negative or zero depths are usually a result of location uncertainty and likely indicate a very shallow earthquake. Seismologists say determining an earthquake’s depth is the hardest part of finding an earthquake’s location. Some human-made events, like a quarry blast, can trigger seismic activity at a 0-mile depth, but will often be labeled as a non-earthquake on the USGS’s earthquake map. As of 11:20 a.m. on Monday, only 2 people reported feeling the earthquake to the USGS. If you felt the quake, you are encouraged to report it on the USGS website.

(USGS)

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the quake hit at around 3:02 p.m., about five miles east-southeast of Forks. Seismologists reported the earthquake occurred at a depth of -0.19 miles.

How can an earthquake have a negative depth?

Dig deeper:

While it might seem impossible, a negative earthquake depth does not mean the quake occurred in the air. According to the USGS, negative or zero depths are typically due to location uncertainty and likely indicate a very shallow earthquake.

Seismologists say determining an earthquake's depth is the most challenging part of locating it. Some human-made events, such as quarry blasts, can trigger seismic activity at a 0-mile depth but are often labeled as non-earthquakes on the USGS map.

As of 11:20 a.m. Monday, only two people had reported feeling the earthquake to the USGS.

What you can do:

If you felt the quake, you are encouraged to report it on the USGS website.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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The Source: Information in this story came from the United States Geological Survey.

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