M 3.0 Earthquake Reported Near Cathcart, Washington
Areazine synthesizes this USGS earthquake report directly from USGS's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.
A minor magnitude 3.0 earthquake occurred early Saturday morning near Cathcart, Washington, with dozens of residents reporting light shaking.
What this USGS earthquake report tells you, and what most readers miss
This notice was issued by USGS on April 6, 2026 and geographically references Washington. Its severity classification of "low" signals how the issuing agency weighs the risk of harm if no action is taken - "critical" and "high" tier alerts typically carry direct consumer actions, while "medium" and "low" tend toward informational guidance or monitoring advisories. The category it belongs to - Earthquakes - determines the monitoring protocol behind it, which shapes what follow-up action (checking for structural damage, watching for aftershocks, reviewing local building codes) is relevant and which agency holds authority over the assessment.
Most readers skim a notice like this, check whether they are personally affected, and move on. The more useful lens is to verify its scope, source, and timestamp, then compare related notices without assuming that one record proves a broader trend.
Areazine pairs this record with the original agency URL so you can check the primary source before acting. Its related labels are earthquake, seismic, usgs, Washington.
What Happened
A minor earthquake with a magnitude of 3.02 ml occurred on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at 13:42:46 UTC (5:42 AM local time). The seismic event was centered approximately 2 km southeast of Cathcart, Washington. The event has been reviewed by seismologists.
Location Details
The earthquake's epicenter was located at coordinates 47.83°N and 122.07°W. The event occurred at a depth of 23.88 km. In geological terms, this is considered an intermediate-depth earthquake, as it occurred between 20 and 70 km below the surface.
Impact Assessment
According to the USGS "Did You Feel It?" service, 36 individuals reported feeling the tremor. There was no tsunami advisory, watch, or warning issued in connection with this event. No specific alert level color was assigned, and there have been no reports of damage or injuries associated with this routine seismic activity.
What You Should Know
Earthquakes with magnitudes between 2.5 and 3.9 are classified as minor. While they are often felt by people near the epicenter, they rarely cause structural damage. Residents in the Pacific Northwest should remain aware that aftershocks are a possibility following any seismic event, though they are typically smaller than the initial quake.
Source
Information provided by the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.
Original source: USGS Official Notice ↗
Related Earthquakes
All Earthquakes →Nationwide notices with similar length or severity timing 8
Two Areazine-derived peer sets for this USGS earthquake report: nearest notices by body length and by same severity near the same agency date. Peers come from other categories so they are not the same-feed Related list above.
Similar body length
Nearest notices by article body length (1,398 characters here).
Similar severity timing
Same severity (low) notices issued closest in time to April 6, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this USGS earthquake report.