A MASSIVE earthquake has rocked the US, just off the Californian coast, with a 5.2 Richter scale reading.
By REBEKAH EVANS PUBLISHED: Thu, Mar 19, 2020
The news follows a March forecast which predicted California could experience a big earthquake within weeks.
A "major seismic hazard" - the Rose Canyon fault - has been recorded beneath California's San Diego, which was estimated at the time to cause $38 billion of damage.
The Richter scale, used to measure the strength of earthquakes, was developed by US seismologist Charles F. Richter in 1935.
The reading was first recorded by the United States Geological Survey - a scientific agency of the US government.
The San Andreas fault line lies along California, causing regular quakes (Image: GETTY)
At the time, the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute warned of the fault lines.
They said: "San Diego could suffer major geologic ground failure and ground shaking hazards resulting in severe seismic damage consequences."
This particular earthquake only sent shockwaves to mainland America.
But it could be a sign of developments to come.
READ MORE: California earthquake: Is Big One coming? ‘Major hazard’ threat
The earthquake registered at 5.2 on the Richter Scale (Image: USGS)
The National Weather Service’s Tsunami Warning System said there was no risk of a tsunami from the earthquake last night.
According to the US Geological Survey, Wednesday’s quake had its epicenter under the Pacific Ocean about 35 miles southwest of Eureka and fewer than 10 miles offshore.
Almost 100 Eureka resident had posted online reports to the Geological Survey saying they’d felt shaking.
It comes after another quake on March 8, which was measured at a magnitude of 5.8, with an epicenter 70 miles southwest of Eureka.
The National Weather Service’s Tsunami Warning System said there was no risk of a tsunami from the earthquake last night.
According to the US Geological Survey, Wednesday’s quake had its epicenter under the Pacific Ocean about 35 miles southwest of Eureka and fewer than 10 miles offshore.
Almost 100 Eureka resident had posted online reports to the Geological Survey saying they’d felt shaking.
It comes after another quake on March 8, which was measured at a magnitude of 5.8, with an epicenter 70 miles southwest of Eureka.
Shockwaves reached mainland USA (Image: USGS)
During this earthquake, the epicenter was more than a mile deep beneath the Pacific Ocean and about 70 miles southwest of Eureka, the agency reported.
During this earthquake, the epicenter was more than a mile deep beneath the Pacific Ocean and about 70 miles southwest of Eureka, the agency reported.
It had earlier reported the magnitude as 5.9, but downgraded it slightly later on Sunday night.
The National Weather Service’s US Tsunami Warning System said there was no danger of a tsunami from the temblor.
This is because it was centered west of Petrolia, a town about 45 miles south of Eureka
California is often struck by earthquakes.
This is because the state is home to the San Andreas fault line, which is overdue another Big One.
The last Big One struck on April 18, 1906, off the northern California coast.
It is believed to have killed 3,000 people.
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