California's Coastal Jolt: A Quick Tsunami Warning
Friday, December 6, 2024
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Imagine waking up to the ground shaking and then hearing about a tsunami warning. That's what happened in California last Thursday morning. Around 10:44 am, a strong earthquake struck about 62 miles off the coast of Ferndale. This quake was of magnitude 7. 0 and was a type called a strike-slip, where two plates slide past each other.
You might think strike-slip earthquakes don't cause tsunamis, but this one did cause a brief warning. The warning covered coastal areas from Davenport, California, all the way to the Oregon border. The good news? The warning was lifted about an hour later.
Experts like Harold Tobin from the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network explained that while it's rare, even strike-slip earthquakes can create tsunamis by displacing the seafloor. This can lead to waves that could flood the coast.
