On Thursday, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake jolted a huge section of Northern California, knocking products off grocery store shelves, sending children fleeing beneath desks, and issuing a brief tsunami warning to 5.3 million people along the US West Coast.
The quake happened at 10:44 a.m. west of Ferndale, a tiny city in Humboldt County’s coastal region, roughly 130 miles (209 kilometers) from the Oregon border, according to the USGS.
It was felt as far south as San Francisco, about 270 miles (435 kilometers) distant, where residents reported a rolling motion lasting several seconds. It was followed by several minor aftershocks.
There were no initial indications of significant damage or injuries from the quake, which was the most powerful temblor to strike California since a magnitude 7.1 quake hit Ridgecrest in 2019.
The tsunami warning was in effect for approximately one hour. It was issued quickly after Thursday’s quake and spanned approximately 500 miles (805 kilometers) of shoreline from California’s Monterey Bay to Oregon.
“It was a strong earthquake. Our building shook. We’re fine, but I have a mess to clean up right now,” said Julie Kreitzer, proprietor of Golden Gait Mercantile, a popular Ferndale shopping destination that sells food, crafts, and souvenirs.
“I need to go. “I need to try to salvage something for the holidays because it’s going to be a difficult year,” Kreitzer stated before hanging up.
The region, noted for its redwood woods, picturesque mountains, and the three-county Emerald Triangle’s legendary marijuana production, was hit by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake in 2022, leaving many without electricity or water. Seismologist Lucy Jones told BlueSky that the northwest region of California is the most seismically active part of the state since it is where three tectonic plates converge.
Shortly after the quake, phones in Northern California buzzed with the National Weather Service’s tsunami warning, which read: “A series of powerful waves and strong currents may impact coasts near you.” You’re in danger. Stay away from coastal waterways. Move to high ground or inland right immediately. Stay away from the seaside until local officials confirm it is safe to return.”
Several communities asked residents to move to higher ground as a precaution.
In Santa Cruz, authorities removed the main beach and taped up entrances with police tape. Aerial film showed cars piled high on California highways 1 and 92 in the Half Moon Bay area, south of San Francisco.
“I thought my axles had fallen apart,” said Valerie Starkey, a Del Norte County supervisor from Crescent City, a hamlet of less than 6,000 near the Oregon border. “That’s how I felt: ‘My axles are broken now.'” I didn’t realize there was an earthquake.”
Cindy Vosburg, executive director of the Crescent City-Del Norte County Chamber of Commerce, said she heard alarms just before the shaking began, and the city’s cultural center downtown started creaking.
“Just as it would start to subside, the building would roll again,” according to Vosburg.
According to White House spokeswoman Jeremy Edwards, President Joe Biden has been briefed on the earthquake, and FEMA officials are in contact with state and municipal colleagues in California and Oregon.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that he has approved a state of emergency designation to expedite the deployment of state resources to affected coastal districts. Newsom said state officials were concerned about the devastation in the state’s northern region.
Crews in Eureka, the region’s largest city, were assessing potential damage. Eureka Mayor Kim Bergel, who teaches at a middle school, said the lights were wobbling and everyone went under their desks.
“The kids were both amazing and afraid. “It seemed to go back and forth for quite some time,” she explained. Some kids inquired, “Can I call my mom?”
The students were eventually sent home.
Students and teachers at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, in nearby Arcata, were advised to stay in place.
According to Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal, people reported foundation cracks, broken glass, and windows, but nothing serious. Honsal said he felt the tremor while in his office at the 75-year-old courthouse in downtown Eureka.
“We are used to it. “It’s known as ‘earthquake country’ up here,” he explained. “There wasn’t a severe jolt. “It was a slow roller, but significant.”
The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, or BART, halted traffic in all directions through the undersea tunnel that connects San Francisco and Oakland, and visitors to the San Francisco Zoo were evacuated.
This earthquake was a strike-slip type, which shifts more horizontally and is less likely to create tsunamis than vertical ones, according to Corina Allen, National Weather Service tsunami program manager in Washington state.
According to the California Geological Survey, more than 150 tsunamis have slammed the state’s shores since 1800, with the majority being minor, but some being damaging and deadly.
On March 28, 1964, a tsunami caused by a strong earthquake in Alaska crashed into Crescent City hours later. Much of the business sector was destroyed, and twelve people were murdered. More recently, a tsunami from a 2011 earthquake in Japan caused over $100 million in damage along the California coast, the majority of which occurred at Crescent City.