Shallow M4.7 Earthquake struck on Wednesday Evening near Santa Rosa in The United States.

Written by Earthquakelist.org on January 2nd, 2025. Last updated January 4th, 2025.

Under land 28 miles from Santa Rosa in The United States, a shallow MAG-4.7 earthquake occurred in the evening of Wednesday January 1st, 2025. The USGS has indicated there is a potential risk at tsunami's following this earthquake.

Earthquake Summary

The earthquake struck on land in The United States, 28 miles (45 km) north of Santa Rosa in California. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 1 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.

Date and Time:	Jan 1, 2025 06:34PM (Los Angeles Time) - Jan 2, 2025 02:34 Universal Time.
Location:	28 mi north of Santa Rosa, California, The United States. Coordinates 38°50'44"N 122°45'23"W.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 4.7 Detected by 154 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.2 .
Depth:	1 mi (1 km) A very shallow depth.
Max. Intensity:	VII Very Strong On the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Tsunami Risk:	Potential tsunami risk The USGS has indicated there is a potential risk at tsunami's following this earthquake. Always stay cautious - More info here.

Potential tsunami risk

DISCLAIMER: We strongly suggest to closely monitor advice from local authorities with regards to tsunami risks. Our analysis is based on automatically collected data from external sources, and these might contain mistakes. In addition, earthquakes can cause landslides that may lead to a tsunami, or be a followed by another, potentially stonger, earthquake.

There is a potential tsunami risk in the aftermath of this earthquake, immediately evacuate to higher grounds away from coastal areas and monitor advice from local authorities. The US Geographic Survey organization has indicated a potential risk for tsunami's following this earthquake.

Tsunami Risk Factors

Factor	Under Sea?	MAG-6.5 or stronger?	Shallow depth?
Explanation	Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami.	Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's.	Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor.
This Earthquake	Not this earthquake. This earthquake appears to have struck on land far from any coast.	Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 4.7. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.	This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 1 mi (1 km). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami.

Minimal impact predicted

Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 69% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities, and a 98% chance that the number of fatalities falls no higher than 10.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 100% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact.

Roughly 10 million people exposed to shaking

An estimated 10 million have been exposed to shaking (An MMI or Modified Mercalli Intensity level II or higher) as a result of this earthquake according scientific estimates published by the USGS.

The highest earthquake impact level for this earthquake is VI, which corresponds with strong shaking and probably light damage. Roughly 1,370 people are expected to be exposed to this level. The majority of people (roughly 9 million) live in an area exposed to level II, where very weak shaking and no damage is expected.

People	MMI Level	Shaking	Damage
3,083,000	I	Not noticable	None
9,290,000	II	Very weak	None
672,400	III	Weak	Probably none
19,280	IV	Light	Likely none
1,600	V	Moderate	Very light
1,370	VI	Strong	Light
0	VII	Very Strong	Moderate
0	VIII	Severe	Moderate to heavy
0	IX	Violent	Heavy
0	X	Extreme	Very heavy

Nearby towns and cities

This earthquake may have been felt in The United States . Located 11 miles (17 km) southwest of the epicenter of this earthquake, Clearlake (California, The United States) is the nearest significant population center. Clearlake experienced an earthquake intensity (MMI Scale) of roughly III. That level implies weak shaking and probably no damage.

Major cities near this earthquake: San Francisco is located 76 mi to the south-southeast and experienced an intensity of III (weak shaking, probably no damage). San Jose is located 114 mi to the south-southeast and experienced an intensity of I (not noticeable, no damage). Sacramento is located 70 mi to the east-southeast and experienced an intensity of II (very weak shaking, no damage).

The table below provides an overview of all places in proximity of today's earthquake. Where available, the estimated intensity on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale in each place is included. Places where this information is omitted likely experienced little impact.

Overview of nearby places

Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.
Distance	Place	Intensity (MMI)
11 mi (17 km) NE from epicenter	Clearlake California, The United States.	III Weak
21 mi (34 km) S from epicenter	Windsor California, The United States.	II Weak
28 mi (45 km) S from epicenter	Santa Rosa California, The United States.	II Weak
32 mi (52 km) NW from epicenter	Ukiah California, The United States.	II Weak
35 mi (56 km) S from epicenter	Rohnert Park California, The United States.	II Weak
43 mi (69 km) S from epicenter	Petaluma California, The United States.	II Weak
45 mi (73 km) SE from epicenter	Napa California, The United States.	III Weak
52 mi (84 km) SSE from epicenter	Novato California, The United States.	II Weak
53 mi (86 km) SSE from epicenter	American Canyon California, The United States.	II Weak
53 mi (86 km) SE from epicenter	Vacaville California, The United States.	II Weak
54 mi (87 km) ESE from epicenter	Woodland California, The United States.	II Weak
57 mi (91 km) SE from epicenter	Fairfield California, The United States.	II Weak
57 mi (92 km) SE from epicenter	Suisun California, The United States.	III Weak
57 mi (92 km) ESE from epicenter	Dixon California, The United States.	II Weak
58 mi (93 km) SSE from epicenter	Vallejo California, The United States.	II Weak
58 mi (94 km) ESE from epicenter	Davis California, The United States.	II Weak
62 mi (99 km) SSE from epicenter	San Rafael California, The United States.	II Weak
65 mi (104 km) ENE from epicenter	Yuba City California, The United States.	II Weak
66 mi (107 km) SSE from epicenter	Richmond California, The United States.	II Weak
68 mi (110 km) ESE from epicenter	West Sacramento California, The United States.	II Weak
70 mi (113 km) ESE from epicenter	Sacramento California, The United States.	II Weak
71 mi (115 km) SE from epicenter	Concord California, The United States.	II Weak
72 mi (116 km) SSE from epicenter	Berkeley California, The United States.	II Weak
73 mi (118 km) SE from epicenter	Pittsburg California, The United States.	II Weak
75 mi (121 km) SSE from epicenter	Walnut Creek California, The United States.	II Weak
75 mi (121 km) SSE from epicenter	Chinatown California, The United States.	II Weak
76 mi (123 km) SSE from epicenter	Oakland California, The United States.	II Weak
76 mi (123 km) ESE from epicenter	Arden-Arcade California, The United States.	II Weak
76 mi (123 km) SSE from epicenter	San Francisco California, The United States.	III Weak
78 mi (125 km) SE from epicenter	Antioch California, The United States.	II Weak
78 mi (126 km) E from epicenter	Carmichael California, The United States.	II Weak
78 mi (126 km) NE from epicenter	Chico California, The United States.	II Weak
79 mi (127 km) SSE from epicenter	Alameda California, The United States.	II Weak
80 mi (128 km) E from epicenter	Roseville California, The United States.	II Weak
80 mi (129 km) SSE from epicenter	Daly City California, The United States.	II Weak
80 mi (129 km) ESE from epicenter	Rancho Cordova California, The United States.	II Weak
80 mi (129 km) E from epicenter	Citrus Heights California, The United States.	II Weak
81 mi (130 km) ESE from epicenter	Elk Grove California, The United States.	II Weak
82 mi (132 km) E from epicenter	Rocklin California, The United States.	I Not felt
84 mi (135 km) SSE from epicenter	San Leandro California, The United States.	II Weak
85 mi (136 km) SSE from epicenter	South San Francisco California, The United States.	I Not felt
85 mi (137 km) SSE from epicenter	San Ramon California, The United States.	II Weak
86 mi (138 km) E from epicenter	Folsom California, The United States.	II Weak
89 mi (144 km) SSE from epicenter	Hayward California, The United States.	II Weak
91 mi (147 km) SSE from epicenter	San Mateo California, The United States.	II Weak
97 mi (156 km) SE from epicenter	Livermore California, The United States.	I Not felt
99 mi (159 km) SSE from epicenter	Fremont California, The United States.	I Not felt
100 mi (161 km) SE from epicenter	Stockton California, The United States.	II Weak
109 mi (176 km) SSE from epicenter	Sunnyvale California, The United States.	I Not felt
112 mi (180 km) SSE from epicenter	Santa Clara California, The United States.	I Not felt
114 mi (184 km) SSE from epicenter	San Jose California, The United States.	I Not felt
165 mi (265 km) ENE from epicenter	Reno Nevada, The United States.

Earthquake Intensity Map

The graph below overlays a map of the region around the epicenter with earthquake intensity data provided by the US Geographic Survey. The highest intensity level detected for this earthquake is VII.

I Not felt

II Weak

III Weak

IV Light

V Moderate

VI Strong

VII Very Strong

VIII Severe

IX Violent

X Extreme

Earthquake Intensity Map based on Shakemap Data provided by USGS.

Aftershocks detected

This main shock was prefaced by 1 smaller foreshock. A 2.9 magnitude earthquake hit 19 hrs earlier nearby.

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

Detected MAG2.5+ earthquakes within within 100km (62 mi), that occurred in the three days before and after the main shock.
Classification	Magnitude	When	Where
Foreshock	M 2.9	19 hrs earlier Dec 31, 2024 11:27PM (Los Angeles Time)	49 mi (79 km) NW from Main Shock.
Main Shock This Earthquake	M 4.7	Jan 1, 2025 06:34PM (Los Angeles Time)	-

More earthquakes coming?

The risk of aftershocks decreases rapidly over time. Usually, aftershocks are at least one order of magnitude lower than a main shock.

The chance that a significant earthquake like this one is followed by an even larger earthquake is not so large. On average, scientists estimate a 94% chance that a major earthquake will not be followed by an even larger one. It is still adviced to be aware of this risk

Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).

Earthquakes like this happen often in the region

Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since December 15th, 2024, when a 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit 169 mi (271 km) further northwest. An even stronger magnitude 7 earthquake struck on December 5th, 2024.

In total, 29 earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.7 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 4 months.

Sources

Last updated 04/01/25 23:38 (). This article is automatically generated based on available data. We keep checking multiple sources for additional information. This article gets updated as new details on this earthquake become available.