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6.4-magnitude earthquake rocks Northern California

December 20, 2022

By KAREN VELIE

Update: Two died and a dozen people were injured in Tuesday’s 6.4 magnitude earthquake.

Original: A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck outside Ferndale in Humboldt County in Northern California Tuesday morning, injuring two people.

The 2:34 a.m. quake also caused significant damage to roads and buildings across Humboldt County, which lies about 200 miles northwest of San Francisco. There have already been dozens of aftershocks, according to the USGS.

Emergency personnel are warning residents to be prepared for additional aftershocks, which are common after significant earthquakes.


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It’s worth noting that Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant even after refurbishing, is designed to withstand no more than 6.8 earthquake. It’s fact that cannot be fairly or rationally denied. It is just a matter of time.


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My condolences to the folks in Ferndale. Beautiful place, lovely people. I went every year for about 25 to the Humboldt County Fair for horse racing.


6.4 is quite a large earthquake. Scientists believe that the last 100 years or so have been relatively dormant for big quakes in Cali and that the next 100 could be more shaky for the state.


8

Why the down votes? What is controversial about Adam’s comment.


7

Exactly, why would anyone disapprove of his statement?


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This event is likely very similar to the “Rock-‘n-Roll” Christmas we experienced here on the Central Coast back in 2005. Our coastline is the only one in the world defined by a major Faultline and various lesser connected faults. Both the Full Moon or the New Moon, which create extremes in the tides and the extreme angle of the Earth during the Solstice shift massive weight and create higher stress on that Faultline web. In ’05, the event occurred on the day exactly in between the two extremes of a Full Moon and the Winter Solstice. This more recent event is happening on the lead up to the Winter Solstice on the 21st-22nd and the New Moon on the 23rd.


Our beautiful, rugged coast will always be subject to such stressors. Something to keep in mind and prepare for. Coincidentally and sadly, two lives were lost up in Ferndale so far, mirroring our losses here in ’05. I sincerely hope they lose no more. But as we all know who were here when we had our Solstice Surprise, besides a substantial clean-up process, they are in for months of very unsettling aftershocks.


11

Well, first, it was 2003 the San Simeon quake hit our area. 2005 was the Gorda quake, which was 90 miles offshore of the Cal-Oregon border, and did little if any recorded damage and no injuries, and most certainly didn’t alter the central coast.


And, second, our coast is one of thousands dominated and formed by tectonic activity. Should I mention all of Japan? Nearly the entire coast of Alaska? Western Mexico? How about the entire Pacific Rim?


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I wasn’t going to reply, but since Messkit opened the door, FB has some other “issues” in her comment. The “extreme” force on plates, tides, whatever (near us), occurs when the moon is directly between the earth and the sun, and the sun is directly overhead. This occurs at the time of a NEW moon, at noon on the day of the SUMMER solstice. A full moon occurs when the moon is directly opposite the sun, and they are working against each other resulting in somewhat less than “extreme” tidal forces.


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