M2.4 Earthquake 8 km SSW of Sultan, Washington — December 7, 2023
2023-12-07 22:04:59 UTC (2023-12-07) · approx. 2:04 PM UTC-8 local
Felt by 52 people across nearby locations.
On December 7, 2023 at 22:04 UTC, a magnitude 2.4 shallow crustal earthquake struck 8 km SSW of Sultan, Washington, at a depth of 6.6 km and coordinates 47.7970°, -121.8677°. This earthquake was detected by 43 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 103, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 2.4 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 54.1 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 26 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Washington, a region characterized by the Cascadia Subduction Zone, where the Juan de Fuca Plate subducts beneath North America and is capable of producing M9+ megathrust earthquakes. The nearest mapped fault system is the Cascadia Subduction Zone. View all earthquakes in Washington.
Learn more: Cascadia Subduction Zone · Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 52 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
-121.8677°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 2.4 earthquake near Sultan, Washington?
The magnitude 2.4 earthquake that struck 8 km SSW of Sultan, Washington on December 7, 2023 at 22:04 UTC had a depth of 6.6 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 47.7970°, -121.8677°, which is 8 km SSW of Sultan, Washington. View all earthquakes in Washington.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 2.4 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Washington had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Washington was the M7.4 offshore earthquake of April 13, 1949. Today's magnitude 2.4 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: uw61966677). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 7, 2023). M2.4 Earthquake 8 km SSW of Sultan, Washington — December 7, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/uw61966677/