Magnitude 2.7 earthquake shakes North Bend area just before Great ShakeOut drill
Oct 15, 2026, 8:51 AM
Map of the epicenter of Wednesday's evening earthquake three miles southwest of Wilderness Rim. (Photo courtesy of USGS)
(Photo courtesy of USGS)
A magnitude 2.7 earthquake struck near North Bend Wednesday evening, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed.
The earthquake’s epicenter was three miles southwest of Wilderness Rim. Thirty-eight people told USGS they felt the quake. Anyone who felt the earthquake is encouraged to report it on the USGS website.
It occurred just after 6 p.m. Wednesday. The earthquake was about 10.5 miles deep.
The earthquake happened just half a day before the worldwide Great ShakeOut earthquake and tsunami drill was set to take place.
Hear an emergency alert Thursday? It’s the Great ShakeOut drill
More than 1.5 million in Washington have already registered to participate in this annual drill. Have you registered to join the fun? You can register on the Washington State Great ShakeOut registration page in just a few minutes.
Registered participants include families, businesses, schools, health care facilities, faith-based organizations, neighborhood groups, and more.
The Great ShakeOut is not just a Washington event, but a worldwide event. Millions around the globe will participate by practicing drop, cover, and hold under a desk, table, or other sturdy items in case of an earthquake.
This drill will help people practice what to do if a real earthquake strikes. In recent years, many have had fun at work, school, or elsewhere by taking photos and videos while under a table or desk and posting them on social media.
The drill will begin when the Emergency Alert System (EAS) activates at 10:15 a.m. The National Weather Service’s NOAA Weather Radio network will broadcast it statewide, and all radio and TV broadcasters and cable systems will air it, including KIRO FM 97.3, Seattle Sports 710 AM, and 770 Seattle Red.
For up-to-minute updates on local earthquakes, follow MyNothwest’s earthquake tracker.
Contributing: Ted Buehner, KIRO Newsradio
