Two Earthquakes Shake NorCal’s North Coast

Two earthquakes were felt off the coast of Northern California Monday afternoon, shaking the towns near the infamous Mendocino Triple Junction.

The first was a 2.4 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Del Norte County at 3 pm, approximately 10 miles off the coast of Crescent City. The second came about 4 pm off the coast of Ferndale, measuring in at 2.6 magnitude. Neither earthquake caused any damage or tsunamis.

2.4 magnitude #earthquake. 10 mi from Crescent City, CA, ##UnitedStates https://t.co/1MnAYbPJCx

— CA Earthquakes (@QuakesInCA) October 18, 2021

2.6 magnitude #earthquake. 33 mi from ##Ferndale, CA, United States https://t.co/DcprNYmoqG

— CA Earthquakes (@QuakesInCA) October 18, 2021

Although the earthquake was relatively small, it gave residents a nice pick-me-up on Monday afternoon.

The North Coast has a history of tsunamis in the area due to its proximity of the active geological area of the nearby Mendocino Triple Junction, which is the confluence of the San Andreas Fault and Cascadia Subduction Zone.

Earthquakes are always a scary occurrence in Crescent City, which experienced a tsunami that killed 12 people and caused $15 million in damage in 1964. The tsunami was formed by a 9.2 magnitude earthquake in Alaska. Today, tsunami warning systems have been established across the North Coast of Humboldt and Del Norte counties.