3.2-magnitude earthquake rattles Northern California awake, geologists say

A 3.2-magnitude earthquake shook the Humboldt County area in California, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The nearly 11-mile deep quake hit about 2 miles from Fortuna at 2:28 a.m. Friday, Jan. 27, according to the USGS.

More than 250 people from as far away as Eureka and Redcrest reported feeling the shake, according to the agency.

The quake is the latest in a series of recent tremors to shake the state.

A 3.7-magnitude earthquake hit Northern California on Monday, Jan. 23, while a 4.2-magnitude quake rattled the Southern California area Wednesday, Jan. 25, McClatchy News reported.

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 January 27, 2023 at 7:43 AM with the headline "3.2-magnitude earthquake rattles Northern California awake, geologists say."

Daniella Segura

McClatchy DC

Daniella Segura is a national real-time reporter with McClatchy. Previously, she’s worked as a multimedia journalist for weekly and daily newspapers in the Los Angeles area. Her work has been recognized by the California News Publishers Association. She is also an alumnus of the University of Southern California and UC Berkeley.