Earthquake risk on North Olympic Peninsula detailed by scientists

  • Peninsula Daily News news sources
  • Wednesday, April 23, 2008 9:00pm
  • News

Peninsula Daily News news sources

PORT ANGELES — Government scientists are discussing two earthquake faults which could cause serious damage on the North Olympic Peninsula.

The U.S. Geological Survey released new seismic hazard maps this week that focused on quake faults across the nation, including the Lake Creek-Boundary Creek fault that runs from central to eastern Clallam County — from roughly 15 miles west of the Elwha River to just past Siebert Creek.

It is capable of producing a magnitude-6.79 earthquake and has been active over the past several thousand years.

It was studied in detail by scientists in 2006 and is included for the first time in the new seismic hazard maps.

A quake on this fault would be similar to the February 2001 Nisqually earthquake, which struck northeast of Olympia.

It had a magnitude-6.8 that caused more that $100 million in property damage and shifted the dome over the Legislative Building.

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