Lots of frayed nerves around 10:45 this morning when the ground shook and cell phones and other devices blared out a scary-sounding Tsunami warning for hundreds of miles of California Coast. A mag 7 earthquake about 60 miles offshore from Humboldt county–100 miles or so northwest of Fort Bragg..and ¼ mile deep rattled Mendocino and Humboldt counties and others to the north. Thankfully the quake didn’t seem to do any damage on shore. The warning was canceled just after noon, with no reports of any damage. People did report a scary 30 seconds or so and the biggest shakeup they had felt in years in Ukiah, Fort Bragg, Brooktrails, Laytonville, and even as far away as Clearlake–and many other communities. There was also another smaller quake not far from Cobb just a few minutes after–no word if the two were related. Seismologists say aftershocks are likely. Governor Newsom has signed an emergency declaration saying he wanted to be sure the state can respond to problems.
Scientists who study earthquakes aren’t surprised at where this one happened. The center is near an undersea spot where three plates of earth crust–North American plate, the Pacific plate, and the Juan de Fuca plate–come together. While they say this kind of quake isn’t likely to set off a tsunami or do much damage on shore, they’re constantly monitoring what’s going on underground–around the Pacific rim and what’s known as the Ring of Fire.
The US Geological Survey says the shaking is a good reminder to ensure you’re prepared IF a mega-quake happens or Tsunami threatens. They say everyone along the coast should have a plan of what to do when the warnings come in. That would include knowing the evacuation route ,setting up an emergency communication plan, and setting up a kit with supplies you can quickly get to in an emergency.. The recommended website is the Redwood Coast Tsunami Work Group. You can also get real-time updates on the website USGS.gov.
