Furniture lies smashed inside a furniture store in Aberdeen, Washington, after an earthquake struck Friday RELATED VIDEO CNN's Ginger Blackstone reports an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 hit Washington state. Windows Media 28K 80K

July 3, 1999
Web posted at: 8:54 p.m. EDT (0054 GMT)

In this story: Most powerful tremor was off coast of Canada RELATED STORIES, SITES

SATSOP, Washington (CNN) -- The Fourth of July holiday weekend began with a rumble for residents in the Pacific Northwest -- not from fireworks but from three earthquakes.

The most damaging of the quakes, at magnitude 5.5, struck at 6:43 p.m. Friday near Satsop, about 25 miles west of Olympia, cracking walls, breaking gas mains and leaving some people without power. Four people were slightly injured.

Less than two hours later, Anchorage, Alaska, and the surrounding area were shaken by a 4.9 magnitude quake. The U.S. Geological Survey in Golden, Colorado, said the quake was centered 20 miles northwest of Alaska's largest city.

No injuries or damage were reported.

Most powerful tremor was off coast of Canada

The USGS also said that earlier Friday a 5.7 magnitude quake struck about 100 miles off the coast of Vancouver, British Columbia. There were no reports of anyone having felt it.

Although the earthquakes all struck within a relatively close time period, USGS geophysicist John Minsch said they were not related.

"Earthquakes can happen anytime, anywhere," Minsch said. "They've all occurred where there has been frequent activity in the past and where there will be frequent activity in the future."

Minsch said that while aftershocks can accompany earthquakes with magnitudes of 6 or higher, moderate quakes such as the ones that struck Friday generally don't generate a lot of aftershock activity.

The Satsop quake, the area's worst since 1965, was triggered by a fault in the Juan de Fuca plate, which runs below the Pacific coast.

Washington's emergency disaster manager, Jim Schoonover, told CNN that most of the damage was centered in Satsop and in the towns of Aberdeen, Brady, Hoquiam and Montesano, further toward the coast.

"We've checked roads and bridges, and there appears to be no damage. There is some damage to stores, power outages, including at the county courthouse," Schoonover said.

In Aberdeen, Moore's Appliance Store sustained large-scale damage.

"The top part of the building caved inward and came down through the roof and took out part of my roof," said owner Jim Moore.

"It took out the attic and came down and took out suspended ceilings and lighting and damaged a lot of merchandise."

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