Magnitude 7 earthquake off California coast

Magnitude 7 earthquake off California coast

A magnitude 7 earthquake struck off the California coast on December 5, 2024. The shaking began about 10:44 a.m. local time. The earthquake occurred offshore around 45 miles (72 km) southwest of Eureka, California, or 61 miles (98 km) west-southwest of Ferndale, California. The preliminary depth of the earthquake is 8 miles (13 km) underground, which is considered shallow.

More than 5 million people along the coast in northern California and southern Oregon were under a tsunami warning for a short time. The warning has since been canceled.

Some 10,000 people are without power in Humboldt County, California.

Some residents received earthquake warnings even before the shaking began. Here is Tony Dunn’s report from the San Francisco Bay Area:

California earthquake. I got an earthquake alert on my iPhone. 17 seconds later it started shaking. A total of about 30 seconds of shaking.

— Tony Dunn (@tony873004.bsky.social) December 5, 2024 at 12:49 PM

ABC News out of San Francisco said locals felt a rolling motion for several seconds.

Others reported a lack of local sirens after the issued tsunami warning.

So… Eureka HAS Tsunami sirens… and they were NOT activated? With about 10 minutes to get to high ground this is a huge problem. (Tsunami fortunately didn't happen, but the sirens had no way to know this, they should have fired!)

San Franciscans evacuating to Twin Peaks after #tsunami warning. pic.twitter.com/Cdrrs066Cu

— Tony Dunn (@tony873004) December 5, 2024

Better get that looked at, Humboldt County.

#earthquake

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— Jake (@honyocker.bsky.social) December 5, 2024 at 2:19 PM

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Some reports of damage

Ferndale, a small town in northern California near the coast, saw some minor damage from the earthquake.

Here’s the situation at the Victorian Inn. Built in 1986, damage to the doors and the bar. #ferndaleca #earthquake pic.twitter.com/4coor9z2La

— Caroline Titus (@caroline95536) December 5, 2024

At the Victorian Inn. #earthquake #temblor pic.twitter.com/YBFehi6nu3

— Caroline Titus (@caroline95536) December 5, 2024

Find more at Bluesky:

Want to see what the seismologists are talking about when it comes to the M 7.0 off of the California coast? Find us here!
go.bsky.app/ND4oS9k

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— Celeste Labedz (@celestelabedz.bsky.social) December 5, 2024 at 1:39 PM

Bottom line: A magnitude 7 earthquake occurred about 50 miles (80 km) offshore of northern California on December 5, 2024. The associated tsunami warning was canceled about an hour after it was issued.

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