3.4-magnitude earthquake rattles off Northern California coastline, geologists say

A 3.4-magnitude earthquake rattled off the Northern California coastline, the U.S. Geological Survey reports.

The 18-mile-deep quake hit near Petrolia in Humboldt County at 10:54 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27, according to the USGS.

So far, 26 people from as far away as Kneeland and Eureka reported feeling the tremor to the agency.

Petrolia is a community of about 1,000 people. It’s about 5 miles from the beach.

Magnitude measures the energy released at the source of the earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey says. It replaces the old Richter scale.

Quakes between 2.5 and 5.4 magnitude are often felt but rarely cause much damage, according to Michigan Tech. Quakes below 2.5 magnitude are seldom felt by most people.

This story was originally published October 27, 2022 at 11:58 AM with the headline "3.4-magnitude earthquake rattles off Northern California coastline, geologists say."

Helena Wegner

McClatchy DC

Helena Wegner is a McClatchy National Real-Time Reporter covering the state of Washington and the western region. She’s a journalism graduate from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She’s based in Phoenix.