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Strong quake hits Pacific Northwest

structural damage
Cars are covered in rubble after the earthquake that hit Seattle, Washington, Wednesday  

No injuries reported

SEATTLE, Washington (CNN) -- A strong earthquake shook the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday, shattering windows in downtown Seattle and rattling Portland, Oregon, for nearly half a minute. There was no immediate word of injuries.

The quake, estimated at a preliminary magnitude of 7.0, hit at approximately 10:55 a.m., according to federal officials at the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska.

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image Quake damage in Seattle
 
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Seismologists at the University of Washington said the epicenter of the quake was 11 miles northeast of Olympia, about 30 miles southwest of Seattle.

Dan Williams of Seattle City Light said 17,000 customers were without electricity in the aftermath of the jolt.

The quake was felt as far away as Salt Lake City, Utah.

In downtown Portland, office buildings swayed for 20 to 30 seconds, and local television stations were deluged by calls from viewers reporting rolling motion across the area.

In Seattle, local television stations showed pictures of the collapsed wall of a building and other images showing people standing outside after evacuating buildings. .

The Federal Aviation Administration closed Seattle-Tacoma International Airport following the jolt, saying the facility's control tower had been damaged.



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RELATED SITES:
West Coast & Alaska Tsunami Warning Center
  • WC&ATWC Most Recent Event Message
  • Location Map
  • Close-up Map
Puget Sound Earthquake Origin and Occurrence
U.S. Geological Survey
The World-Wide Earthquake Locator
Understanding Earthquakes
USGS National Earthquake Information Center
Global Earthquake Response Center
Berkeley Seismology Lab

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