09 October 2023 , 13:57
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An earthquake measuring 4.3 magnitude has shook residents with a warning sounded.
About 50 miles north of Seattle is the Puget Sound basin - an area of Washington that sees hundreds of earthquakes a year.
As plates shift on the West Coast, small shocks are somewhat normal. Most aren't noticeable. But residents today say they were shocked when everything in their homes shook from a 3.5 magnitude earthquake originating under Marrowstone Island, a small island to the southeast of Port Townsend and northwest of Seattle.
So far, no injuries or deaths have been reported, but the full range of the earthquake’s effect has not yet been determined. The epicentre was located just under Marrowstone Island with a depth of 57 kilometres, or 35.42 miles, the PNSN said. An announcement was made that no tsunami is expected to follow.
READ MORE: Afghanistan earthquakes: More than 320 dead as several quakes rock country
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Reports from the Seattle area show that a larger than normal earthquake hit the area, luckily no one was reported injured so far (Getty Images)Users discussed their experiences on social media. One man wrote, "First ever earthquake. I had no idea what that was, it felt like someone sat down on my couch and farted hard into the cushion. I’m 2 blocks from the space needle and waterfront." Another said: "Felt it in Mount Vernon!" A third mentioned: "In South Everett, felt like someone was walking on the roof and my stove vent was rattling. Wondered if it was an earthquake."
Earthquakes have hit a number of different areas in the last few weeks, some more serious than others. While no one was hurt in Washington, quakes in Afghanistan have killed and displaced hundreds. A pair of 6.3 magnitude earthquakes in Afghanistan have left at least 320 people dead and dozens of others injured as hundreds are feared dead.
Crowds of residents and shopkeepers fled buildings in the city of Herat at around 11:00am local time (06:30 GMT) as the quakes rumbled through the streets. The epicentre was about 25 miles northwest of the city of Herat and was followed by an aftershock with a 5.5 magnitude, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said in a report.
"All people are out of their homes. Houses, offices and shops are all empty and there are fears of more earthquakes. Me and my family were inside our home, I felt the quake", Samadi told the Associated Press.
A 3.5 magnitude earthquake hit an area north of Seattle today (Getty Images)The USGS warned that hundreds of fatalities were possible as well as "potentially widespread damage" as past events with this alert level have required a regional or national level response.
"We were in our offices and suddenly the building started shaking", 45-year-old Herat resident Bashir Ahmad told Agence France Press (AFP). He continued: "Wall plasters started to fall down and the walls got cracks, some walls and parts of the building collapsed. I am not able to contact my family, network connections are disconnected. I am too worried and scared, it was horrifying."
National Disaster Management Authority spokesman Mullah Jan Sayeq told AFP the initial toll was "preliminary" and he feared it would rise as "in the rural and mountainous areas there have been landslides as well". Mohammad Taleb Shahid, public health director of Herat province also told AFP this is not the final figure and that he believes people are buried under the rubble.
Herat is considered the cultural capital of Afghanistan and is the official capital of Herat province, which is home to an estimated population of 1.9 million. There were five strong aftershocks with magnitudes of 5.5, 4.7, 6.3, 5.9 and 4.6, according to the USGS. Heart province borders Iran. The quake also was felt in the nearby provinces of Farah and Badghis, according to local media reports.