SEATTLE -- There was no damage from a small earthquake felt Wednesday evening in western Washington, but it was the area's most significant earthquake west of the Cascade mountains in 14 months.
The 4.1 magnitude quake near Belfair, Wash. is the largest since a 4.8 near Victoria, BC on December 29, 2015.
The small quake had enough energy to provide a test of the earthquake early warning system designed to alert people living far enough away as to how much time they have until the shaking hits them.
In this case, Seattle had at least nine seconds. The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network located at the University of Washington had more than 2,500 reports from people who felt the shaking.
Related: Inside the Pacific Seismic Network
Earthquakes, even small ones, help scientists understand what's happening in Washington during a seismic event. This region is expected to suffer a major earthquake in the future based on geological evidence.
