4.7 magnitude earthquake hits Northern California on New Year’s Day

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake struck Northern California on New Year’s Day, shaking buildings as far away as Sacramento but causing little damage and no deaths.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported the quake struck at 6:34 p.m. Wednesday about 4 kilometers north-northwest of Cobb, CA, about an hour west of the state capital, Sacramento.

The Lake County News reported:

A moderate earthquake on New Year’s Eve shook Lake County residents and was followed by dozens of smaller earthquakes in the hours that followed.

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In Lake County, residents reported feeling the powerful main quake, which they variously described as intense and rolling, with items falling off walls and shelves and furniture shaking.

There were also people who said it was the strongest earthquake ever felt in Lake County.

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake off the coast on December 5, 2024 caused tsunami warnings in Northern California, including evacuation orders by local officials in Berkeley, but no tsunami actually occurred.

Small to moderate earthquakes are quite common in California, and residents train and prepare for larger earthquakes, which may result in sheltering in place or being without access to essential services for several days.

Tsunamis are also possible on the coast – not only from earthquakes occurring nearby, but also from earthquakes that may occur farther out in the Pacific Ocean.