Earth’s 5th largest earthquake of 2024 bounces houses, and causes damage in Fort Bragg.
A 7.0 earthquake at 10:45am today caused damages up and down the Coast and has triggered a tsunami warning. Noyo Harbor has an evacuation order and the Coast Guard has taken all its boats to sea. The intial quake was 60 miles west of Cape Mendocino on the Mendocino Fault, part of the triple junction, the USGS says. There were two aftershocks, 3.0 and 3.3, much closer to shore, the USGS said.
The Ocean Lake senior modular home park just north of the Pudding Creek Bridge is now entirely evacuated. Fort Bragg Library is also evacuated to the Redwood Senior Center, as a precaution. Its the bad spot for tsunamis due to the tunnels. Remember a tsunami is NOT a giant wave its a flood from the ocean. It could take hours for the ocean to rise.
Damages have been reported all over such as broken glass, and possible structural damage to houses. But so far, no injuries or serious problems.
Earthquake Surveillance Drones and multiple helicopters are flying over our house in Cleone near the coast and have been since about 5 minutes after the quake.
This is the 5th largest earthquake of the year on earth.
Your boat can get trashed if a tsunami comes and you are in the harbor, but this quake was so close and is now being said not to be likely to be a major quake. Stay away from the ocean until at least noon and stay online.
We are checking as to whether Noyo Harbor is evacuating its boats. But the tsunami if it comes will be small, I just got from USGS. This is a strike slip earthquake and cannot produce a large tsunami, USGS says.
There may be more earthquakes. Check your house for propane leaks and your propane tanks. Take hanging stuff down.
US Tsunami warning from Santa Cruz to Southern Oregon.! Get to higher ground if you live in the senior living park north of FB, its a low spot indicated in Tsunami maps, due to the tunnel. Highly unlikely but there is a warning.
The biggest earthquake in years shook the Humboldt and Mendocino Coast this morning. We were sitting at home when the entire house shook for 15 seconds, which seemed very long. Our entire house in Cleone bounced up and down and all the windows shook and everything inside shook. The phones went off with warnings 5 seconds before it hit. JUST got this from the USGS. NOT a major Tsunami. But they will know more in a half hour. STAY AWAY from the Beach, but no need for a mass evacuation. Two aftershocks at 11:05am and 11:07am, much closer to the coast but 3.3 and 3.0 so felt. lightly. USGS is concerned about a second large one.
Noyo Harbor did a miraculous evacuation during the 2011?? Japanese earthquake in which almost all boat owners came in and took their boats to sea. That one had hours of notice, this was just up the Cape.
Here is the official news.
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/ew1733424270/executive
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Resident Joel Ha of Cleone, California, captures this video during the big quake today:
