Earthquake Risk in Washington, DC
Risk Level: Very High — Score 7/10
Live Earthquake alert status near Washington
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Live earthquake activity around Washington — refreshed throughout the day.
Open full-screen map →Key Risk Factors
- FEMA rates Washington's county as Relatively High risk
- Estimated annual loss of $61M from this hazard type
- 1 events on record in proximity
- Located in a seismically active region
Last significant event: Earthquake - 5.1 - 4 km SE of Sparta, North Carolina (2020-08-09)
Highest Risk Cities for Earthquakes
How Washington Compares
Notable Earthquake Events Near Washington
DisasterAWARE's historical archive records 1 notable earthquake event near Washington, ranked below by impact. The most impactful: Earthquake - 5.1 - 4 km SE of Sparta, North Carolina (August 2020).
Earthquake - 5.1 - 4 km SE of Sparta, North Carolina
August 8, 2020 — WARNING
Impact data not available
Earthquake Preparedness Tips
- 1.Secure heavy furniture and appliances to walls
- 2.Create a family earthquake plan with meeting points
- 3.Keep an emergency kit with water, food, flashlight, and first aid supplies
- 4.Learn how to shut off gas, water, and electricity
- 5.Practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On drills regularly
Related Pages
How this data is built
Washington, DC earthquake risk combines Historical Event Intelligence with authoritative hazard modeling from the Geospatial Intelligence Layers catalog. Live earthquake monitoring is available through the Event Intelligence API and the DisasterAWARE Platform.
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