A 5.1-magnitude earthquake rocked the northern California coast and its surrounding area on the first day of the New Year.
According to the LA Times, The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake's epicenter was found 70 miles west of Ferndale, in the Pacific Ocean. People residing in Ferndale experienced tremors when the disaster struck at 4:16 in the morning of January 1. Other towns such as Fort Bragg, located 120 miles south of Ferndale, also reported of slight tremors in their area.
The quake is considered to be the year's strongest yet. However, no tsunami warning has been issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, noted Inquistr. Ferndale officials have said that while the shaking has been felt in the town, no reports of damaged properties and injuries have been made.
Earthquakes are normal occurrence for California residents. In August last year, Napa was hit with a 6.0-magnitude quake that damaged many properties, homes and roads in the town. It also caused injuries to more than 200 people in the area.
The area where the state of California is situated is quite volatile with many geological plates in play underneath its ground. Cape Mendocino's proximity to the Mendocino Triple Junction is cause enough for many earthquakes. The junction is where the San Andreas Fault, Pacific Fault and the Gorda Plate converge with each other. The same plate is the one pressing on the North American Plate where Oregon and Washington lies. As such, tremors happening in California are sometimes felt as far as Oregon as aftershocks.
The biggest earthquake damage in the state ever reported was in 1906. 3,000 people were killed in the 7.9-magnitude quake. It also brought damage of $524 million dollars at that time.
Meanwhile, another earthquake was reported in the southern part of California on New Year's Day. A 3.0-magnitude quake hit Kenwood on the Rodgers Creek Fault at 1:18 p.m. Press Democrat reported the epicenter of the second quake at 4 miles southwest of Kenwood and 5 miles northeast of Rohnert Park. No injuries or damage was reported.
Some people from Napa and Francisco felt the earthquake while a few in the Sonoma Valley also noticed it. Officials from the valley did not receive any calls from the residents regarding the earthquake.
While the Rodgers Creek Fault is an active fault line, its movements are not as strong and big as the Mendocino Triple Junction. The U.S. Geological Survey noted that the 5.6 and 5.7-magnitude quakes that hit the area in 1969 are already considered moderate in size.
