Mon Apr 14 17:10:00 UTC 2025: ## 1949 Earthquake: Washington’s Most Damaging Quake Largely Forgotten

**Seattle, WA** – Seventy-six years ago, a devastating 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck western Washington, causing significantly more damage than more widely remembered tremors. The April 13, 1949 quake, centered near Joint Base Lewis-McChord, resulted in eight deaths and widespread destruction across the region.

The 30-second quake, felt across 230,000 square miles, left its mark on numerous cities. In Centralia, 40% of homes and businesses were damaged. Puyallup experienced flooding from groundwater released by the seismic activity. Seattle’s Pioneer Square bore the brunt of the damage, with collapsed building facades, crushed cars, and toppled church spires. Olympia saw damage to nearly all large buildings, including those on the Capitol grounds. Tacoma also suffered significant damage, particularly to brick structures and homes built on filled land. Three days later, a massive cliff collapse into Puget Sound triggered a tsunami, flooding homes along the Tacoma shoreline.

The total damage was estimated at $25 million in 1949, equivalent to over $334 million today. This surpasses the damage caused by the 1965 and 2001 earthquakes, despite those events being more widely remembered, according to Geologic Hazards Supervisor Maximilian Dixon. The 1965 quake, also a 6.7 magnitude event, killed seven and caused $12.5 million in damage ($100.3 million today). The 2001 Nisqually earthquake, while more widely remembered, caused $2 billion in damage.

The 1949 earthquake serves as a stark reminder of the seismic vulnerability of the Pacific Northwest and the potential for catastrophic damage from future quakes.

Read More