A powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Northern California, triggering a brief tsunami warning for coastal areas. The earthquake’s epicenter was near Ferndale, a small city in Humboldt County, approximately 260 miles north of San Francisco. While the tsunami warning was later cancelled, the earthquake caused significant shaking and minor damage in some areas.
Local officials reported no fatalities or widespread catastrophic damage to buildings and infrastructure. However, some homes sustained minor damage, and several stores reported items falling from shelves. Power outages affected over 10,000 residents in Humboldt County following the quake.
One Ferndale resident described the interior of her building as looking “like a bomb has gone off in every room.” Olivia Cobian, the innkeeper at the Gingerbread Mansion Inn in Ferndale, reported extensive damage, with heavy cast iron fireplaces moved and objects overturned.
Todd Dunaway, a Fortuna, California resident, compared the shaking to “standing on a giant waterbed.” He described the cacophony of rattling windows, creaking walls, and falling objects. Dunaway also noted that his swimming pool lost a significant amount of water due to the sloshing.
While Dunaway’s sporting goods store experienced minor damage, with shoe boxes falling from shelves, there were no major structural issues. Multiple aftershocks followed the initial earthquake, which occurred around 10:44 AM local time.
Cities like Berkeley issued evacuation orders due to the initial tsunami threat. Residents in tsunami zones were urged to move to higher ground immediately. Kayla Aihara, a hotel guest in Half Moon Bay, described the tense moments as people gathered near the shoreline, watching for signs of a tsunami before the warning was lifted.
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency to facilitate resource allocation for earthquake response efforts. He emphasized the need for Californians to be prepared for such events.
Tsunami warning signs and evacuation routes are common in coastal communities along the US West Coast. Residents are advised to be familiar with these routes and prepare emergency kits. Tsunamis can arrive quickly after an earthquake, sometimes within minutes, and the first wave may not be the largest.
The US West Coast is prone to seismic activity due to its location on tectonic plate boundaries. However, earthquakes of this magnitude (7.0) are relatively rare globally, occurring only 10 to 15 times per year. The US Geological Survey tracks approximately 20,000 earthquakes annually. This earthquake is a significant seismic event for California, reminding residents of the state’s geological vulnerability.
