Magnitude 5.5 Earthquake Strikes Northern California
A powerful magnitude 5.5 earthquake rocked Northern California’s Plumas County on Thursday afternoon, according to the U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS).
The quake, which struck at approximately 4:20 p.m., centered around Lake Almanor, causing significant tremors in the region.
Just ten minutes later, an aftershock measuring 2.8 magnitude occurred, further unsettling the area.
Reports from social media users indicated that the initial quake was felt as far as Chico, Sacramento, and even Reno.
The earthquake’s impact was substantial, leading to the temporary disruption of cell phone 911 lines operated by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Chico Dispatch in the Yuba City-Sutter area.
Bill Martin, chief meteorologist at KTVU, discussed the seismic activity, noting that the region’s proximity to Mount Lassen, an active volcano, could play a role in the earthquake’s occurrence.
He mentioned that the area has experienced geothermal activity in the past, with an eruption occurring approximately a century ago.
The aftershocks following the magnitude 5.5 quake were expected due to the nature of such events.
Although the earthquake’s size was significant, it is noteworthy that it did not occur along the well-known fault lines like Hayward or San Andreas.
Plumas County is not typically associated with high seismic activity, making this event a deviation from the norm in terms of geological occurrences.
As residents brace for potential aftershocks, authorities and seismologists will continue monitoring the situation closely to assess any damage or further seismic activity in the area.
