Beware of Earthquakes in WA, the Great Shakeout is Oct. 19th

Do we get earthquakes in Washington? Yes, and there could be more.

Get our free mobile app

Canva

Just last Sunday, a 4.3 magnitude quake originated about 40 miles southeast of British Columbia. Some in Seattle felt soft shaking that was over almost as fast as it came on. I have a friend who felt the quake on Whidbey Island. She reported that the house shook and everything glass rattled. She said, "It stopped as fast as it started."

The Great Washington ShakeOut takes place on Thursday, October 19th.

It's part of the International ShakeOut Day. At 10:19 am millions of people worldwide will participate in earthquake drills at school, work, and home. Those taking part should plan to drop, cover, and hold on. According to the Washington Military Department:

At 10:19 a.m. on Oct. 19, you’re invited to drop, cover and hold on wherever you are – whether it’s at work, home or school. At about the same time, more than 120 Washington tsunami sirens along the inner and outer coast will be tested using the real wailing sound of a tsunami warning, not the Westminster Chimes that are typically used during the monthly tests. NOAA Weather Radios will also sound an alarm.

Canva

The ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System can send an alert to your phone.

The system does not predict when or where an earthquake will occur or how long it will last; it detects an earthquake that has already begun, and alerts areas that will experience weak or greater shaking.

You can download the MyShake app here.

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.

Gallery Credit: KATELYN LEBOFF

25 costliest hurricanes of all time

Although the full extent of damage caused by Hurricane Ian in the Southwest is still being realized, Ian is already being called one of the costliest storms to ever hit the U.S. Stacker took a look at NOAA data to extrapolate the costliest U.S. hurricanes of all time.

LOOK: The most extreme temperatures in the history of every state

Stacker consulted 2021 data from the NOAA's State Climate Extremes Committee (SCEC) to illustrate the hottest and coldest temperatures ever recorded in each state. Each slide also reveals the all-time highest 24-hour precipitation record and all-time highest 24-hour snowfall.

Keep reading to find out individual state records in alphabetical order.

Gallery Credit: Anuradha Varanasi