A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck near Humboldt, causing damage and power outages

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off the coast of Humboldt on Thursday, briefly prompting a widespread tsunami warning that had crowds of people seeking higher ground.

Lenya Quinn-Davidson, with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, told LAist they evacuated from their office in Eureka, which looks out on the mouth of Humboldt Bay in the tsunami zone.

"Our power is out at our office, it kind of blinked during the earthquake and then immediately went out," she said. "I think right now the tsunami is the biggest concern, it's supposed to hit any, any minute now, and so we're just kind of, you know, waiting to see what happens with that."

She added that it was the biggest earthquake she's ever felt, and made it difficult to move.

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Reports of damage

Some damage was reported on social media, mostly involving broken glass and items that fell off shelves. But there were also reports of homes coming off their foundations in the Eel River Valley area of Humboldt, according to state Sen. Mike McGuire.

He added on social media that power outages were affecting about 10,000 customers in Humboldt County, and that the state is sending immediate assistance.

About the tsunami warning

The tsunami warning issued for the coast from Davenport, California, (10 miles northwest of Santa Cruz) to the Oregon border, including San Francisco Bay, was canceled shortly before noon.

People gather to watch for a possible tsunami at Immigrant Point in San Francisco on Dec. 15, 2024. The tsunami warning was canceled shortly before noon.

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Emily Guerin

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LAist

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According to the USGS, Thursday's quake was a "strike-slip," meaning two tectonic plates slid past each other, which is less likely to cause a tsunami because the movement is primarily horizontal.

An earthquake of this size in California is rare. There have only been nine quakes of a magnitude 7 or above since 1900.

An early warning was issued by the U.S. Geological Survey, though it's unclear how much of a heads up people got before the shaking started.

Several smaller aftershocks have been felt in the area, including a 4.2 near Petrolia, according to the USGS. At least 14 aftershocks were also recorded off the coast, including a 5.0 at around noon.

Gov. Gavin Newsom is meeting with state emergency officials, according to his press office. The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services has also been activated.

Newsom said at a news conference Thursday that they're concerned about damage, particularly in Del Norte, Mendocino and Humboldt County. 

"I just signed off on a state of emergency declaration that will allow us to provide more resources, provide some of our National Guard resources as needed, access to state fairgrounds, waiving some contractual obligations for that part of the state," he added.

We have earthquake resources

We don't want to scare you, but the Big One is coming. We don't know when, but we know it'll be at least 44 times stronger than Northridge and 11 times stronger than the Ridgecrest quakes in 2019. To help you get prepared, we've compiled a handy reading list:

• Your guide to surviving the Big One
• For earthquakes, forget the 'go-bag.' Here's how to prepare
• How to not get life-threatening diarrhea after a major earthquake
• 10 earthquake-related questions to ask your landlord immediately
• How to prepare for an earthquake if you have a disability

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