Remembering the 1949 Washington Earthquake: A Deadly Shake

SEATTLE — On April 13, 1949, a powerful 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck western Washington, causing substantial damage and loss of life. The quake, which lasted roughly 30 seconds, had its epicenter near the Joint Base Lewis-McChord area and was felt across a vast 230,000-square-mile region.

The devastating quake resulted in eight fatalities and left numerous others injured. Historical accounts reveal that Centralia experienced significant impacts, with approximately 40% of its homes and businesses sustaining damage. Additionally, floodwaters from fractured ground overwhelmed several blocks in Puyallup.

In Seattle, the damage was concentrated primarily around Pioneer Square. According to reports, almost all large buildings in Olympia were affected to some degree, including eight structures on the Capitol grounds. Many chimneys and two large smokestacks collapsed during the tremors. The public utilities in the area were severely disrupted, with broken water and gas mains and interruptions to electric and telegraph services.

Brick buildings and homes situated on filled ground in Tacoma and Seattle bore the brunt of the destruction. Three days following the earthquake, a substantial section of a 200-foot cliff crumbled into Puget Sound, generating a tsunami that engulfed houses along the Tacoma shoreline.

“When I talk to people, the 1949 earthquake is not nearly as remembered as the earthquakes we’ve had in 1965 and 2001, and yet it’s probably the most damaging of the three,” said Maximilian Dixon, Geologic Hazards Supervisor for the Washington Military Department, in an interview in 2019.

Subsequent earthquakes have struck the same region, including another 6.7 magnitude quake on April 29, 1965, which claimed seven lives and caused approximately $12.5 million in damages at the time (equivalent to $100.3 million today). The 2001 6.8 Nisqually earthquake also left its mark, injuring around 400 people and inflicting over $2 billion in damage.

While numerous earthquakes have occurred in the wake of the 1949 disaster, none have matched the level of destruction and tragedy experienced on that fateful day.