USGS reports six earthquakes off the coast of Oregon in the last week

August 1, 2012 – OREGON – Six earthquakes between magnitude 1.6 and 2.1 rumbled under the ocean less than 20 miles off the Oregon Coast in the last week, according to U.S. Geologic Survey records. The most recent – and most powerful – hit early Tuesday morning. And two quakes over 4.0 shook last week about 240 miles off Bandon. Small quakes hit Oregon on a regular basis, both on and off coast. Last Thursday, for example, a magnitude 1.4 shook 8 miles northeast of Springfield, and a 1.5 magnitude earthquake rumbled 11 miles east of Woodburn just before 9:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. But for residents of the Oregon Coast, earthquakes – and the tsunamis they can trigger – have taken on renewed importance since March 2011. The earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of Japan last year caused damage on the Oregon Coast and continue to deliver debris to Northwest beaches. The USGS told KCBY News that the recent swarm of quakes pose little tsunami risk. The plates involved move sideways instead of up and down, and earthquakes under magnitude 6 are not likely to generate tsunamis. –KCBY