On the morning of December 5, Northern California was struck by a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), it occurred at a depth of only six miles. The epicenter was located near the town of Petrolia in the Mendocino Fault zone, where three tectonic plates converge.
The quake struck at 10:44 a.m. local time, frightening residents throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and triggering a tsunami warning that extended for five hundred miles along the coastline — from southern Oregon to San Francisco. People in the tsunami zone were ordered to evacuate immediately, and the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system halted train operations through the Transbay Tube. The San Francisco Zoo was closed as a precaution.
The National Weather Service canceled the tsunami warning about ninety minutes after the evacuation began.
In some areas, the situation was tense. Troy Land, a volunteer firefighter from the small town of Ferndale, reported fleeing a building as the shelves in his hardware store emptied within seconds: “Boards and cans of paint just flew across the floor.”
A San Francisco resident shared that the tremors lasted for about thirty seconds: “It just kept going and going. It was both terrifying and a little thrilling at the same time,” she said.
The impacts were significant: in Humboldt County, approximately nineteen thousand people lost power, but fortunately, no injuries or fatalities were reported. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency to expedite assistance to the affected areas.
After the main seismic event, aftershocks followed, with the first being very strong — measuring 6.0 and 5.8 in magnitude. However, their magnitudes were later revised to four-point-seven and four-point-one, respectively. By the evening of the same day, at least seventy-two aftershocks measuring 2.6 or higher had been recorded.
Residents of California spent the day in tension, with many choosing to stay outdoors, fearing further tremors. Although the tsunami threat passed, the region faces a long recovery from the aftermath of this natural disaster.
USGS senior geologist Steven DeLong emphasized that the area where the earthquake occurred is one of the most seismically complex in the country. He also reminded residents that everyone in the region should have an emergency kit containing water, food, a first-aid kit, and important documents.
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