Earthquake of magnitude 5.6 strikes northern California region, USGS says — alert ‘scared the life out of me’
On Wednesday, a 5.6 magnitude earthquake rattled Mendocino County in northern California, as
Earthquake of Magnitude 5.6 Hits Northern California, USGS Confirms
Theindiapostdaily.com – On Wednesday, a 5.6 magnitude earthquake rattled Mendocino County in northern California, as reported by the US Geological Survey (USGS). The tremors were experienced in areas as far as Sacramento and San Francisco, according to Fox News. The quake’s epicenter was located approximately 11 kilometers north of Redwood Valley, with a depth of 8.1 kilometers, the USGS stated.
The seismic event, initially measured at 5.6, was centered about 140 miles northeast of San Francisco. It was also felt in the coastal town of Fort Bragg, where residents described the experience as mild. The USGS noted that the tremor occurred inland, roughly 50 miles east of Fort Bragg, at 8:10 am local time, and had a depth of around 5 miles.
ShakeAlert System Activated
The ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System was triggered, sending nearly 657,000 alerts via the MyShake App, as shared by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services on X. Many users shared their reactions to the alerts, with one describing the moment as “scared the life out of me and my sleep.” Another noted, “I received a magnitude 6 warning, but there was no shaking in San Mateo.” A third user remarked, “My phone warned me 20 seconds before I felt any movement.”
Residents’ Reactions
“That earthquake alert just scared the life out of me and my sleep,” said an X user, posting a screenshot of the notification.
“We checked our phones, then glanced at each other, and that’s when we felt it,” recounted Angie, a worker at Mendocino Coast Pharmacy, who declined to share her full name. She described the shaking as a brief, rolling tremor.
“Things were shaking,” added Andrea Medina from Cafe One in Fort Bragg. “But it’s over, not too strong.”
Following the initial quake, a 2.5 magnitude aftershock occurred near the epicenter a few minutes later. Fawnell Dale, a dispatch supervisor at the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed that no damage or injuries were reported so far.
Meanwhile, Philippine officials issued warnings about potential flooding, landslides, and rough seas in the northernmost provinces due to an approaching typhoon. Typhoon Mekkhala was last recorded over the Pacific, about 375 kilometers northeast of Aparri in Cagayan province, with sustained winds reaching up to 175 kph (110 mph), per the country’s weather agency.
