30 Years Ago Today, a 7.2 Quake shook the North Coast

Screenshot from video of the 1992 Earthquake in Ferndale.

Screenshot from film taken of the 1992 Earthquake in Ferndale as seen in the video embedded below, ““A virtual tour of the Mendocino triple junction.”

Press release from Redwood Coast Tsunami Work:

The Redwood Coast Tsunami Work announces “A virtual tour of the Mendocino triple junction” to mark the 30th anniversary of the Cape Mendocino earthquake sequence.

The April 25,1992 M7.2 earthquake was the most damaging earthquake to strike California’s North Coast in historical times. Causing at least $60 million in property losses and over 400 injuries, it led to the only federal disaster declaration ever issued after an earthquake in Humboldt County.  The earthquake, located near the coast just north of Petrolia, was in the Mendocino triple junction region, a complex zone where three fault systems and three tectonic plates meet.  It is the only triple junction on land in the conterminous United States.

The earthquake produced measurable coastal uplift along a 15-mile-long stretch of coastline and a modest tsunami that was recorded on seven tide gauges along the California and Southern Oregon coast and in Hawaii.  It was followed in the next 18 hours by magnitude 6.5 and 6.6 aftershocks.

To remember the events of 1992, the Redwood Coast Tsunami Work Group has launched a new web page (https://rctwg.humboldt.edu/capemendo92 ).  The page includes remembrances of what happened and what has changed in both earthquake and tsunami planning since then.  Featured is a new video field trip of the complex Mendocino triple junction area to better understand the complex geology of the Cape Mendocino area where the earthquake occurred and the role it plays in regional earthquake hazards.

The video was produced by Thomas Dunklin, an alum of the Cal Poly Humboldt Geology Department who lives in the Petrolia area and accompanied many of the research teams who worked in the Cape Mendocino area after the earthquake.  The thirteen-minute video features spectacular drone footage of the remote and rugged triple junction and includes animations of the plate interactions and earthquake activity in the region.  The video project was supported by CalOES with funding from FEMA through NEHERP and donations to RCTWG from the public.  Feedback appreciated ([email protected]).

The Redwood Coast Tsunami Work Group is an organization of local/state/federal agencies and other organizations involved with earthquake and tsunami planning/preparedness on California’s North Coast.  Contact Lori Dengler – [email protected], (707) 845-4960 for questions, more information

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Ernie Branscomb
Guest
1 year ago

Dang, I survived the quake and didn’t even get a tee shirt!

NoBody
Guest
NoBody
1 year ago

I remember that one well. I’m sure my guest from out of town who had just arrived will never forget it either.

clearlakefool
Guest
clearlakefool
1 year ago

mom was there for that first annual whatever it was . was taking money for those that wanted some food in one of those buildings in the pic with all the dust boiling up . she was by a door but got knocked down by the shaking and was helped up just a second before the bar she was standing next to fell over . her car was near the one shown in the pic that had bricks on top it but her car was ok .
a year and a few months later we had our 20 year class reunion at scotia inn and my room there still had no tv and only one light .

grey fox
Member
1 year ago

The after shocks were pretty big themselves. After the 2nd aftershock I was ready to sleep outside.
And I remember Scotia had a fire that caused a lot of damage.
We lived in an old farmhouse that sat on pier and post. Was like being in a boat in the ocean.

Last edited 1 year ago
c u 2morrow
Guest
c u 2morrow
1 year ago

thank you that was very interesting and educational

The 90's Rocked!
Guest
The 90's Rocked!
1 year ago

The year I moved to Humboldt……
The 90’s were so fun!!

Bozo
Guest
Bozo
1 year ago

Nice video.

Third quake back in ’92 was the most scary… the ground was moaning and growling… never heard anything like that.

Looking out the window we saw earthquake lights, sky would go electric blue like dim lightning… then dark during the earthquake waves.

That quake also had a lot of ‘up and down’ motion. Took the power generation turbines off their foundation footings in Scotia.

Should be mowing
Guest
Should be mowing
1 year ago

There is a great book about the 1992 earthquake by Irene Wallace of Petrolia called the Earthquake Chronicles (170 pages).
The book is a collection of Mattole resident’s stories about their experiences during the three quakes of 1992. Irene asked everyone she could to retell their quake stories. (still print or at the Petrolia Store). Irene was at the time an active member of the Mattole ladies club and Mattole grange.

It was a tough time for many people in the Mattole Valley as that the three quakes caused some people to get “shell shock” and move away.

Craig
Guest
Craig
1 year ago

I still remember the 1980 earthquake, while a some bricks went down in Ferndale in 92, a whole 101 overpass went down by CR in 1980.
I still remember riding my wild bronc of a bed in 1980, and watching all the flashes of colliding power lines all across Eureka afterwards.

Lynda
Guest
Lynda
1 year ago
Reply to  Craig

Yes, the one in 1980 was also a 7.2 magnitude.

deadmanwalkingwmd
Member
deadmanwalkingwmd
1 year ago

I survived it too but what I really needed was a clean pair of underwear..

Last edited 1 year ago
Country Joe
Member
1 year ago

I fed thousands of meals in 3 weeks using the Eel River Conservation Camps Portable Kitchen Unit and 3 inmate crews, at the Fairgrounds.

David Wilson
Guest
1 year ago

This was a memorable one for me. When the earthquake struck, I was a young photo student standing in the dark in the antechamber of the HSU Art Department darkroom. It was a big one, but growing up in California, I was just going to ride it out. But two other students were in there with me, young women from back east somewhere. They weren’t going to just ride it out! They both latched onto me like a couple of octopi with a single prey, and we all rode it out together. I actually loved it! I was the hero, and I was just standing there between two girls. Best earthquake I’ve had. No injuries resulted, and I think it was a good first taste of California’s trembling terrain for them.

Lunah
Member
Lunah
1 year ago

April 26th 1992 there was a riot on the streets tell me where were you?

Awesome, I didn’t know there was a huge quake before the riots.

Last edited 1 year ago
Pucker Gnarlson
Guest
Pucker Gnarlson
1 year ago
Reply to  Lunah

Welcome to Biden’s America! Earthquakes were afraid of Donald John. Biden, Harris, and esp. Newsome, are riding on DJ Tr-i-umPh’sth success stopping earthquakes…because, um. Due to the whole “geologic timescale” bullshit you liberals cooked up. So Sad. Ferndale doesn’t even have a golf course.

Lunah
Member
Lunah
1 year ago

I heard redway was once one giant golf course.