2024 Cape Mendocino earthquake facts for kids
| UTC time | 2024-12-05 18:44:19 |
|---|---|
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | December 5, 2024 |
| Local time | 10:44 PST (UTC−08:00) |
| Magnitude | 7.0 Mww |
| Depth | 0.6 km (0 mi) |
| Epicenter | 40°22′12″N 125°01′30″W / 40.370°N 125.025°W |
| Type | Strike-slip |
| Areas affected | North Coast, California, United States |
| Max. intensity | VIII (Severe) |
On December 5, 2024, a Mww 7.0 earthquake struck off the coast of Humboldt County, California at 10:44 PST. It was felt in the state's northern regions and the Central Valley.
Contents
Tectonic setting
Near Cape Mendocino, the Mendocino triple junction is an area of active seismicity where three tectonic plates come together. The Mendocino Fracture Zone (also known as the Mendocino Fault east of the Gorda Ridge) is a transform fault that separates the Pacific and Gorda plates. To the south, the relative motion between the Pacific plate and North American plate is accommodated by the San Andreas Fault, and to the north, the Gorda plate is converging with the North American plate at the Cascadia subduction zone. Earthquakes within the Gorda plate are the result of north–south compression at the Mendocino Fault.
Earthquake
The earthquake's epicenter was located offshore, 62 km (39 mi) west of Petrolia and struck at a focal depth of 0.6 km (0.37 mi). A similarly-sized earthquake of identical mechanism occurred in the area in 1980. According to Harold Tobin, director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, the earthquake occurred along the Mendocino Fracture Zone at the triple junction of three tectonic plates. The rupture initiated along either a steeply dipping fault striking either east-southeast or north-northeast, according to the focal mechanism solution. A rupture on the Mendocino Fracture Zone would correspond with the former fault orientation. It is the largest earthquake to strike the state of California since the 2019 Ridgecrest earthquakes, and the strongest to strike the northwestern coast of the state since 2005. People as far away as Phoenix, Arizona and Vancouver, Canada reported shaking.
Damage
Over 10,000 customers in Humboldt County were left without power following the earthquake. Initial reports of damage included some homes coming off of foundations in the Eel River Valley region.
See also
- List of earthquakes in California
- List of earthquakes in 2024
- 1700 Cascadia earthquake
