February 9, 1941 Earthquake: Northern, California, United States
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Northern, California, United States on February 9, 1941 at 09:44:04 UTC. It caused a tsunami.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- February 9, 1941
- Time
- 09:44:04 UTC
- Place
- Northern, California, United States
- Magnitude
- 6.6 (Ms)
- Intensity
- 6 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 40.500° N, 125.250° W
- Country
- United States
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
At Punta Gorda Light Station, slight cracks in plaster were observed. At Shelter Cove, the bluff slid in several places. Felt along the coast from San Francisco on the south to Port Orford, Oregon, on the north. (reference #542)
There was an overall intensification of secihes in San Francisco and San Diego 14 hours after the event and 36 hours later at Port Hueneme as seen on marigrams. The long time delay between the shock and the seiche, the absence of reports of waves nearer the source and the presence of a storm in the area are convincing evidence for a meteorological cause. (reference #237)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- December 20, 2022, Humboldt County, California, United States
- June 6, 1932, Eureka, California, United States
- December 21, 1954, Humboldt County, California, United States
- January 22, 1923, Northern, California, United States
- December 5, 2024, Offshore Cape Mendocino, California, United States
- September 1, 1994, Honeydew, North, California, United States
- January 10, 2010, Off Coast Northern, California, United States
- January 31, 1922, Northern, California, United States
- April 25, 1992, Ferndale, Petrolia, Humboldt County, California, United States
- August 17, 1991, Honeydew, Whitethorn, Petrolia, California, United States
- December 26, 1994, Eureka, Samoa, Arcata, Blue Lake, California, United States
- October 1, 1865, Fort Humboldt, Eureka, California, United States
- March 2, 1871, Humboldt County, California, United States
- March 20, 1855, Northern, California, United States
- June 15, 2005, Off Coast Northern, California, United States
More
Significant earthquakes of 1941The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1941Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 6346.