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Climate and Weather
Business Honor
06 December, 2024
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake off the Northern California coast prompts brief tsunami warning and emergency response.
A powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of Northern California near Petrolia in Humboldt County Thursday, December 5, 2024. According to a report from the United States Geological Survey, the quake did trigger a brief tsunami warning that was canceled by the NTWC.
The quake hit at 10:44 a.m. local time and sent wide alerts along the California and Oregon coasts, involving more than 5 million people. However, the warning was soon downgraded as scientists found that the nature of the earthquake, being classified as "strike slip" fault-type decreases the possibility of triggering a tsunami. Based on the USGS report, the horizontal movement of the tectonic plates would not actually lead to significant vertical displacements in the ocean and therefore threatens little in the form of a tsunami.
The tremors as far south as San Francisco felt them, where the earthquake produced a rolling motion for several seconds. Authorities confirmed that no serious damage was reported immediately, though more than 10,000 experienced power outages in Northern California. Damage assessments are undergoing some reports that indicate structural problems in the region, including cracked roads and a gas leak at a middle school in Rio Dell.
Aftershocks occurred after the quake including one 5.0 magnitude near Ferndale and the USGS said residents should be on the lookout for aftershocks that could last days or even weeks.
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency due to the earthquake and "federal authorities are on standby in case the state requests assistance and to date, no such requests have been made".
This earthquake may be significant, yet injuries are not extremely grave, nor is damage broadly spread; the area remains on red alert for aftershocks.
The earthquake, while significant, has not led to any major injuries or widespread damage, and the region remains on high alert for aftershocks.