Hundreds of California boaters move vessels out to sea during tsunami threat

The National Weather Service allowed the Tsunami Warning to expire on Thursday morning after a major magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off the coast of Ferndale, California. The quake was the strongest for the area since 2005. 

FERNDALE, Calif. – Cameras along the California and Oregon coasts captured boaters taking their vessels out to sea Thursday morning, shortly after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Golden State. 

The quake triggered a Tsunami Warning for coastal regions in the western U.S., prompting concerns that large waves could inundate coastal communities.

NOAA warned residents in communities such as Fort Bragg, Crescent City, San Francisco in California, and Port Orford and Brookings in Oregon to seek higher ground after the shaking.

TSUNAMI THREAT ENDS FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, OREGON COAST AFTER MAJOR 7.0 EARTHQUAKE

Instead of securing boats to docks, captains made efforts to head to deeper waters, hoping to avoid a sudden, damaging surge of water.

“During a tsunami, boats in California should generally stay docked in harbors unless a larger tsunami is expected,” the California Department of Conservation suggests. “In that case, boat owners should consider moving their boats offshore to at least 180 feet deep.”

Boats depart Northern California after earthquake on 12/5/2024

(Crescent City Harbor District / FOX Weather)

Tsunami waves form after energy from the quake travels outward in all directions, and as the waves approach the coast, their amplitude increases.

 Waves from significant tsunamis can reach over 100 feet tall, as seen during Japan’s 2011 earthquake, when some waves were estimated to have reached 130 feet tall.

Due to the seafloor’s impact on wave behavior, this height is not visible until the energy reaches the shore, making the waves generally hidden well off the coast.

All Tsunami Warnings were canceled over an hour after initial alerts were issued, after water gauges detected no significant changes in tidal levels.

7 FACTS ABOUT EARTHQUAKES

7.0 California Shake Intensity

(FOX Weather)

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office warned that beachgoers should stay away from coastal areas, as tidal levels could rise in the immediate aftermath of the shaking.

The earthquake was the strongest since a series of quakes impacted the Ridgecrest area in 2019. The strongest Ridgecrest quake was estimated at a magnitude of 7.1 and caused billions of dollars in damage.

Seismologists expect aftershocks from the most recent event could potentially last for weeks, if not longer, but the chances of a quake surpassing the magnitude of a 7.0 are now considered low.