A 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck Vanuatu on Tuesday, December 17, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The epicenter was located in Port-Vila, with a depth of 57.1 kilometers (about 35.5 miles). The USGS received 33 reports of people feeling the tremor at the time of publication.
This Vanuatu earthquake followed a 5.4-magnitude tremor in California on Saturday, December 15. The earthquake was centered in Petrolia at a depth of 10 kilometers (about 6.2 miles).
Petrolia has experienced several earthquakes in recent weeks, including a significant 7.0-magnitude quake on December 5, according to the USGS. That earthquake was centered in Petrolia at a depth of 0.6 kilometers (about 0.37 miles).
Following the earthquake, the National Weather Service issued a tsunami warning for the San Francisco Bay Area. Their advisory urged: “Evacuation is recommended. Move to high ground or inland,” as reported by the New York Post.
Additionally, a 6.4-magnitude earthquake occurred in Chile on Friday, December 13, with the USGS reporting the earthquake’s epicenter in Molina at a depth of 110.6 kilometers (about 68.7 miles). This followed a 5.6-magnitude earthquake in Nevada on Monday, December 9, according to the USGS.