A preliminary magnitude 5.0 earthquake shook the coast of Northern California on Wednesday night, impacting communities across Humboldt County.
The offshore tremor occurred at 8:56 p.m. Pacific Time, approximately 69 miles west of Petrolia, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The earthquake's depth was about 6 miles.
Seismologists initially recorded the event as a magnitude 4.6 but quickly upgraded it to a 5.0. The USGS issued a Green Alert for the earthquake, indicating a low probability of casualties and structural damage.
Despite the offshore epicenter, residents in several nearby communities, including Arcata, Garberville, McKinleyville, and Whitethorn, reported feeling light to weak shaking. More than 120 people have submitted their experiences through the USGS "Did You Feel It?" portal.
This tremor is the strongest in a series of recent offshore earthquakes in the same region. Two separate 2.7-magnitude quakes were recorded there on October 31 and November 1.
