1993 Scotts Mills earthquake

Earthquake in Oregon May 2025 February 2025 1993 Scotts Mills earthquake 1993-03-25 13:34:37 244845 iscgem244845 1993 03 25 05:34:37 Oregon 5.6 w y VII 0.06 g 16.2 km 2 on 45.06 -122.55 inline,title Oblique-slip Western Oregon United States Six injured $28 million thumb|USGS ShakeMap The 1993 Scotts Mills earthquake, also known as the "Spring break quake", occurred in the U.S. state of Oregon on March 25 at 5:34 AM Pacific Standard Time. With a moment magnitude of 5.6 and a maximum perceived intensity of VII (Very strong) on the Mercalli intensity scale, it was the largest earthquake in the Pacific Northwest since the Elk Lake and Goat Rocks earthquakes of 1981. Ground motion was widely felt in Oregon's Willamette Valley, the Portland metropolitan area, and as far north as the Puget Sound area near Seattle, Washington. Earthquake The Scotts Mills mainshock epicenter was located about 5 km us east of the town of Scotts Mills in Marion County, and about 54 km us south of Portland. The United States Geological Survey reported that strong motion instruments recorded peak ground accelerations of 0.06 g at Detroit Dam, 44 km us to the southeast, and also give an extensive review of damage reports and ground motion intensities.Dewey James W. Reagor B. Glen Johnson Dennis A. Choy George L. Baldwin Frank W. The Scotts Mills, Oregon, earthquake of March 25, 1993; intensities, strong-motion data, and teleseismic data Open-File Report 94-163 United States Geological Survey 1994 https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1994/0163/report.pdf Reports of the earthquake came from as far as Roseburg in southern Oregon, 165 mi south of the epicenter, to the coastal town of Lincoln City, east to Bend, and north to Seattle. The seismology lab from the University of Washington in Seattle reported the Richter magnitude to be 5.4, but stated that the initial figure could change. An aftershock measuring 3.2 happened within the first hour of the main shock. Damage Most structural damage consisted of toppled chimneys and failure of walls of unreinforced masonry. Buildings with damage include Molalla High School, the State Capitol in Salem, and the St. Paul Church in Saint Paul.Bergquist Timothy St. Paul Roman Catholic Church https://oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/st._pauls_church/#.W8jY19NKjg4 Oregon Encyclopedia 18 October 2018 The damage at the capitol occurred in the old wing and that section of the facility was closed after the morning earthquake, and two walls at the high school were partially collapsed. Additional damage to some homes occurred in Molalla in the form of broken windows and brick planters at some homes there. No damage was reported in Portland, but residents did see books knocked off shelves and some car alarms were set off. Several people were treated at the Salem Hospital for injuries related to falling glass.Quake Cracks Oregon Capitol – Temblor Registers 5.4, Causes Minor Injuries Times Staff March 25, 1993 https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19930325/1692449/quake-cracks-oregon-capitol----temblor-registers-54-causes-minor-injuries The Seattle Times Previous events A similar sized earthquake occurred in 1877 and Portland was struck by a magnitude 5.5 quake in 1962, but geophysicists say the area is vulnerable to even larger earthquakes, such as the 1872 North Cascades earthquake. See also List of earthquakes in 1993 List of earthquakes in the United States 1993 Klamath Falls earthquakes References PAGER-CAT Earthquake Catalog https://earthquake.usgs.gov/static/lfs/data/pager/catalogs/ September 4, 2009 United States Geological Survey Version 2008_06.1 The 25 March 1993 Scotts Mills, Oregon, earthquake and aftershock sequence: Spatial distribution, focal mechanisms, and the Mount Angel Fault https://www.wou.edu/las/physci/taylor/g473/seismic_hazards/thomas_etal_1996_scotts_mills.pdf G. C. Thomas R. S. Crosson D. L. Carver T. S. Yelin Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America August 1996 86 4 934 10.1785/BSSA0860040925 1996BuSSA..86..925T 128775177 A look back at Oregon's earthquake history, 1841–1944 https://www.wou.edu/las/physci/taylor/g473/seismic_hazards/wong_bott_1994_oregon_eq_history.pdf 57 6 November 1995 Ivan G. Wong Jacqueline D.J. Bott Oregon Geology 130 External links Increased seismic activity in Oregon highlighted by tremor and a M=4.0 quake – Temblor, Inc. 244845 Category:1993 in Oregon Category:1993 in Washington (state) Category:1993 earthquakes Category:Clackamas County, Oregon Category:Earthquakes in the United States Category:Natural disasters in Oregon Category:Marion County, Oregon Category:1993 natural disasters in the United States