Due to its location in the Pacific Ring of Fire , Seattle is in a major earthquake zone . On February 28 , 2001 , the magnitude 6.8 Nisqually earthquake did significant architectural damage , especially in the Pioneer Square area ( built on reclaimed land , as are the Industrial District and part of the city center ) , but caused only one fatality . Other strong quakes occurred on January 26 , 1700 ( estimated at 9 magnitude ) , December 14 , 1872 ( 7.3 or 7.4 ) , April 13 , 1949 ( 7.1 ) , and April 29 , 1965 ( 6.5 ) . The 1965 quake caused three deaths in Seattle directly and one more by heart failure . Although the Seattle Fault passes just south of the city center , neither it nor the Cascadia subduction zone has caused an earthquake since the city 's founding . The Cascadia subduction zone poses the threat of an earthquake of magnitude 9.0 or greater , capable of seriously damaging the city and collapsing many buildings , especially in zones built on fill
1965 quake
1965 Puget Sound earthquake
Seattle