A magnitude 4.2 earthquake struck a few miles northwest of Gig Harbor at about 2:05 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time on Tuesday, Sept. 29, sending light shaking across the Puget Sound region, according to the U.S. Geological Survey event page. Residents in Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett reported feeling the quake.

No injuries or damage were reported. "At this time, we have no reports of damage or impacts," the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management said around 3 p.m., according to a Seattle Times report republished by The Spokesman-Review. The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center said a tsunami was unlikely in the Seattle area.

The quake was modest by global standards, but it ranks among the stronger earthquakes recorded in Washington in recent years. For the millions of people who live around Puget Sound, it was a brief, harmless jolt and a useful prompt to check basic preparedness.

Where It Struck and How It Was Felt

The epicenter was about 3.7 miles northwest of Wauna, near the line between Kitsap and Pierce counties, according to KUOW's report citing USGS. The quake's estimated depth was about 17 miles (roughly 27 kilometers), and its magnitude was revised from initial estimates of 4.0 and 4.3, The Seattle Times reported.

The shaking briefly disrupted routines. Seattle City Council members paused a 2 p.m. meeting when the quake hit. Sound Transit said light rail trains were sharing one track at Angle Lake station that afternoon "due to seismic activity."Residents posted online that houses shook and chandeliers swayed.

A magnitude 4.2 earthquake typically produces moderate shaking and the potential for very light damage, according to USGS. The depth of this event helped spread gentle shaking over a wide area rather than concentrating strong motion in one place.

Ranking Among Recent Washington Quakes

The quake is the fourth-highest-magnitude earthquake in Washington in a decade, according to The Seattle Times' review of USGS data. The three larger events were a magnitude 4.6 near Monroe in July 2019, a 4.5 near Orcas Island in March 2025, and a 4.3 near Port Townsend in October 2023.

Rankings like this depend on the exact boundaries and time window used. A magnitude 4.2 earthquake also struck west-northwest of Belfair in February 2017, according to KIRO 7's report on the Belfair quake, which would tie the new quake at that magnitude within a 10-year window. Either way, earthquakes of this size are uncommon under the Puget Sound lowlands.

The Seattle Times reported that the quake appears to be along the Tacoma fault, one of many faults in the region. The Washington State Military Department describes that fault as running roughly 35 miles in a nearly straight east-west line between Kent and Union, passing through Vashon Island. That association is preliminary and could be refined as seismologists study the event.

Aftershock Odds and What Seismologists Say

USGS issued an aftershock forecast after the quake. It estimated a 37 percent chance of a magnitude 3 or larger aftershock within the following week, an 8 percent chance of a magnitude 4 or larger and less than a 1 percent chance of a larger earthquake, KUOW reported. Those probabilities apply to the week after the quake and decline as time passes without new activity.

Harold Tobin, director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, said smaller aftershocks are likely but the chance of a larger quake is low. "There's that possibility of a damaging earthquake," Tobin said. "But this one is not that." He added that the shaking is a reminder that "we live in earthquake country" in the Pacific Northwest.

Western Washington faces several kinds of earthquake risk, including shallow faults like those near Tacoma and Seattle, deeper quakes within the subducting ocean plate and the much larger Cascadia Subduction Zone offshore, according to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network. Earthquakes cannot be predicted, and a magnitude 4.2 event does not signal that a larger one is coming. The USGS forecast numbers are the best available guide to near-term risk.

Practical Steps for Puget Sound Households

Residents who felt the quake can use it as a low-stakes drill. Emergency officials recommend the Drop, Cover, and Hold On response during shaking: drop to the ground, take cover under a sturdy table or desk, and hold on until shaking stops. Doorways are not safer than other spots in modern homes.

Households should check that tall furniture, water heaters, and televisions are secured to walls and that heavy objects are not stored above beds. Keeping water, food, medications, a flashlight, and a battery-powered radio for several days can make a difference after a larger quake, when roads and utilities may be disrupted.

Anyone who smells gas after shaking should leave the building and call the utility from outside. Residents who notice new cracks in foundations, chimneys, or walls should have them inspected. Standard homeowners insurance policies generally do not cover earthquake damage, so homeowners may want to review their coverage.

People who felt the quake can report their experience through the USGS Did You Feel It? system on the event page, which helps scientists map shaking intensity. Residents should watch for official updates from USGS and the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network rather than social media rumors about bigger quakes.

What Readers Want to Know

Where did the earthquake hit?

USGS located the magnitude 4.2 quake a few miles northwest of Gig Harbor, about 3.7 miles northwest of Wauna, near the Kitsap-Pierce County line, at about 2:05 p.m. PDT on Sept. 29.

Was there any damage?

No injuries or damage were reported. Pierce County emergency managers said they had no reports of impacts.

Was there a tsunami risk?

No. The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center said a tsunami was unlikely in the Seattle area.

Will there be aftershocks?

USGS estimated a 37 percent chance of a magnitude 3 or larger aftershock and an 8 percent chance of a magnitude 4 or larger in the week after the quake, with less than a 1 percent chance of something larger.

How strong was this quake compared with others in Washington?

The Seattle Times ranked it the fourth-highest-magnitude quake in Washington in a decade, behind events of magnitude 4.6, 4.5 and 4.3. A 2017 magnitude 4.2 quake near Belfair matched its size.

What should I do during an earthquake?

Drop to the ground, take cover under sturdy furniture, and hold on until shaking stops. Secure heavy furniture and keep emergency supplies at home.