Late Thursday morning, December 5th, a very large shallow earthquake, initially measuring 7.2 on the Richter Scale, struck off the coast of the Pacific Northwestat approximately 10:44am.
The quake, striking just south of the San Andreas fault in the Mendocino Fracture Zone, was located 61 miles south south west of Eureka California at a depth of 8 miles.
This tremor prompted Tsunami warnings up and down the coast as far south as Santa Cruz California and as far north as Coos Bay. Tsunami sirens were activated at both Crescent City and Brookings/Harbor harbor’s with authorities evacuating the port and other low lying areas.
The tremor was reportedly felt as far north as Lincoln City Oregon, as far south as Santa Cruz California and as far east as Reno Nevada.
The initial 7.2 quake which struck at 10:44am, was then accompanied by as many as 11 smaller quakes ranging from 5.0 in magnitude to 3.1 in magnitude within the following hour.
