Earthquake swarm recorded off Oregon coast continues Wednesday

PORTLAND, Ore. -- More than 50 earthquakes struck off the Oregon coast Tuesday and Wednesday, with the largest two reaching magnitude 5.8.

The earthquakes were centered far off the coast, roughly west of Newport, Oregon. No tsunamis were expected.

Small earthquakes strike often near Oregon’s coast, a regular reminder of the cataclysmic earthquake geologists say will happen when the pressure building between the Juan de Fuca and North American plates breaks.

Per Oregon officials, scientists say there is a 37% chance that a 7.1 magnitude or higher earthquake will happen at the boundary between the two tectonic plates, called the Cascadia Subduction Zone, in the next 50 years.

Magnitude 2.5 to 3 earthquakes are the smallest generally felt by people, while magnitude 4 quakes can cause moderate damage and magnitude 5 quakes can cause considerable damage.

You can see every earthquake recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey in the last 30 days using the Oregonian/OregonLive’s real-time earthquake map.