Recent Natural Disasters | Calamities | Hazards

May 12, 2023: Lake Almanor, situated approximately 80 miles northeast of Chico and 150 miles north of Sacramento, endured a 5.5-magnitude earthquake, as reported by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The epicenter was located at the bottom of Lake Almanor near East Shore, California. According to the USGS, the initial report indicated a magnitude of 5.5 at around 4:20 p.m. PST, which was later downgraded to 5.4 but then regraded back to 5.5. The shaking from the earthquake was felt as far as Sacramento, and Peninsula Market, located near the epicenter, experienced bottles falling and shattering on the floor. As of now, there have been no reports of major damage or injuries. However, several aftershocks have been registered in the vicinity of the initial earthquake. Reports indicate that people in various cities across Northern California, including Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, San Joaquin, Solano, Colusa, Nevada, Yolo, and Butte counties, felt the quake. There were even rep

March 30, 2023: The U.S. Geological Survey has reported a 3.7 magnitude earthquake occurring at 2:06 p.m. Pacific time on Saturday, with its epicenter located two miles from Calexico, California. The earthquake was felt in areas as far as 45 miles away in San Luis, Arizona and happened at a depth of 7.2 miles. Earlier in the day, a 3.0 magnitude earthquake occurred just one mile from Calexico at 7:48 a.m. Pacific time, following a nearby 4.1 magnitude earthquake reported at 5:07 a.m. that same day. There have been a total of five earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or higher in the area within the past 10 days.

From December 2022 to March 2023, California experienced a lot of rain which led to floods in different areas of the state as well as nearby states like Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. The floods caused significant damage to property and resulted in the loss of at least 22 lives, making it the deadliest meteorological event in the US in 2023. The floods caused power outages, evacuations, and the closure of more than 40 state parks and one national park. In addition, several Amtrak trains had to modify their schedules or cancel services due to the floods. Landslides, sinkholes, and flooded roads also caused disruption and property damage. On January 4, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency, and on January 9, 2023, President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in 17 California counties. Later, a major disaster declaration was approved for several counties. President Biden and Governor Newsom surveyed the damage on January 19. The media reported the floods as an example