Humboldt County is prone to earthquakes due to plate tectonics

The northern coast of California is known for its pristine, scenic beauty. Less well known is its susceptibility to earthquakes.

Scientists say the most seismically active area in the state is around Cape Mendocino in Humboldt County, where the western tip of the Pacific coast dips into the ocean. There, beneath the raging blue waves, three tectonic plates meet, grind and rise. The Mendocino Triple Junction, as the formation is known, generates an average of 80 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater each year.

On Tuesday, shortly after 2:30 a.m. PST, that massive intersection shifted again, waking Humboldt County with a 6.4-magnitude earthquake. The center was offshore, about 12 miles west of Ferndale.

At least two deaths have been attributed to the quake — two people, ages 72 and 83, experienced medical crises and died before emergency workers could reach them, according to Humboldt County Sheriff William Hounsal. At least 12 people were injured. Tens of thousands of utility customers lost electricity. The Fernbridge, a bridge that serves as the most direct route between Ferndale and Highway 101, was closed. Officials estimated that as many as 150 people in Rio Del, a city of about 3,300, would be displaced because their homes were made unsafe by an earthquake.

Even where the damage was minor, the quake zone was a mess of downed Christmas trees, smashed storefronts, animals and traumatized children. Rachel Sofrin, 40, told me her 10-year-old son was asking to open his Christmas presents early; An earthquake had knocked down a chimney in Rio del, leaving Santa with nowhere to come.

About 250 miles to the south at the University of California, Berkeley’s Seismological Laboratory, the quake brought with it some good news: California’s earthquake early warning app MyShake, a statewide alert the lab helped develop, has issued the biggest head-spin — even since it debuted. For the first time in 2019.

On Tuesday I spoke to Richard Allen, director of the lab. These are some of our conversations, abbreviated and edited.

Talk to me about the North Coast and the earthquakes.

When we think of earthquakes in California and where they occurred, we think of well-defined faults – the San Andreas Fault. Hayward error. Most of these places are where two tectonic plates meet, and earthquakes occur when they collide.

But the Mendocino Triple Junction is different?

Three boards join at Mendocino Triple Junction, creating a veritable mess of crashes that mash and crash. To the south of the junction is the San Andreas Fault System, where the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate move across from each other. Then to the north is the Juan de Fuca Plate, which dips below the North American Plate.

Does more paintings mean more traffic?

the correct. It’s a more complex geometry of faults, along with more traffic that needs to be accommodated, and that leads to more events.

Is the area becoming more active or less active?

People always ask that. not like that. We have a magnitude 6.5 earthquake in this region about once every decade.

What was going through your mind when the earthquake struck on Tuesday?

I was excited because we sent out an alert to so many people – it was such a hit.

Of course, many people were asleep at 2:30 in the morning.

Yes, there has been a lot of discussion about that on Twitter. But in large earthquakes, about half of the injuries are due to either falling people or things falling on people. So if you only had a few seconds to drop it, cover it, and mount it, we could potentially cut your injuries in half. Many people received the warning and response. The alert reached about 270,000 people—those at the epicenter had only a few seconds of warning, but people in the Bay Area had up to 100 seconds. People were warned all the way to the south of the Bay Area, more than 400 kilometers from the quake.

For more:

If you read one story, keep it like this

Elon Musk said on Tuesday that he will step down as CEO of Twitter, in compliance with a majority vote of his followers last weekend, but not until he finds “someone foolish enough to take over.”

Where do we travel?

Today’s tip comes from David McEntee, who lives in Tacoma, Washington:

“We are in the Bay Area for a two-month visit. We visited the Point Reyes Lighthouse on a clear sunny December afternoon. The drive is beautiful with rolling hills, ranches and wandering elk. The afternoon sunsets are stunning. This site and lighthouse has a rich sailing history.”

Tell us about your favorite places to visit in California. Email your suggestions to [email protected]. We will be sharing more in future issues of the newsletter.

Tell us

We write about how Californians celebrate the holidays. Are you relaxing on the beach, visiting Disneyland, or making tamales with your family? Perhaps you always travel to a special place within the Golden State?

Email us at [email protected] mentioning California holiday traditions and memories. Please write your name and the city where you live.

We may include your email response in an upcoming or printed newsletter. By emailing us a response, you agree that you have read, understood, and accept the Reader Submission Terms with respect to all content and other information that you submit to us (“Your Content”). If you do not accept these terms, do not submit any content.

And before you go, some good news

An elementary school teacher in California won $1,000 this month for being nice.

Earlier this year, a professor at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business started an initiative to honor one person each month for their kindness by giving them $1,000. Professor Alan Ross said he wanted to honor a beloved, especially kind pre-school coach who taught his children and died of cancer.

The show’s first award winner was Michelle Williams, a fourth-grade teacher at Berkeley Arts Magnet School, KTVU reports. Williams was chosen for her dedication to serving her students, even after they have moved on to other degrees. One parent said Williams still calls every month to check on her son with special needs, even though she taught him several years ago.

“There is no teacher in this room who does not deserve an award like this,” Williams said during the ceremony. “Kindness goes hand in hand with teaching. It’s just part of our job, part of our calling, part of our mission.”

Thanks for reading. We will be back tomorrow.

PS: Here’s today’s little crossword.

Soumya Karlamangla, Isabella Grullón Paz, and Allison Honors contributed to California Today. You can contact the team at [email protected].

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