Morton, Washington – A small earthquake shook southern Lewis County early Thursday morning, with a magnitude 2.7 tremor reported just 9 kilometers south of Morton shortly before 1 a.m. Pacific time.
According to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN), the quake struck at 12:58 a.m. PDT at a depth of 14.7 kilometers. The epicenter was located near the western edge of Gifford Pinchot National Forest, roughly midway between Portland and Seattle.
While the quake was light and unlikely to cause damage, it was shallow enough to be felt in nearby communities, including Morton, Randle, and parts of Longview. One response was logged through the USGS “Did You Feel It?” system. No injuries or structural damage have been reported as of Wednesday morning.
Minor earthquakes are not uncommon in this seismically active region of Washington, where fault lines crisscross beneath the Cascade foothills. Residents are reminded to review earthquake safety plans, check emergency supplies, and secure heavy objects in homes.
There is no tsunami risk, and no further aftershocks have been recorded. Updates will be issued if additional seismic activity occurs.
