Are Earthquakes Common During the Holidays in California? Myths, Facts, and Safety Tips

On December 20^th, 2022, just a few days before Christmas and the third day of Hanukkah, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Humboldt County. According to CBS News, this powerful quake buckled highways, shattered glass, and caused power outages for tens of thousands of people. Several were injured, two people lost their lives, and over 200 aftershocks continued to affect the area, including a magnitude 5.4 on New Year’s Day, according to HumboldtGov.org.

Damaging earthquakes happen even during the holiday season, and they’ve struck many times in California’s long and storied earthquake history. In this blog, we look at some of the biggest holiday earthquakes in California and explain how you can better prepare your home and your family to help reduce your earthquake risk.

One of the best ways to help protect your home from earthquake damage this holiday season (and every season) is with a seismic retrofit. Retrofits help to strengthen your home to make it more resistant to earthquake damage. Retrofit costs and complexity vary depending on the kind of retrofit your home needs, but they can be simple to do and cheaper than you might think. Grant programs may be available to help you pay for some retrofits. Learn more about seismic retrofits and grant programs by visiting StrengthenYourHouse.com.

Are Earthquakes Common During the Holidays?

Earthquakes can happen during the holiday season, but according to NASA, “the statistical distribution of earthquakes is approximately equal across all types of weather conditions.” This means, among other things, that they are not more or less likely to occur during the holidays than at any other time of the year - earthquakes can happen anytime or any day. In the past, California has experienced several significant earthquakes on or near the holidays, including:

Thanksgiving Earthquakes

On November 28, 1974, Hollister, California was thankful that this Thanksgiving Day earthquake wasn’t any stronger. Sources estimate this trembler was between magnitudes 4.5 and 5.1.

Christmas Earthquakes

Are earthquakes common during Christmas? Unfortunately, history shows that earthquakes have indeed devastated Christmas festivities worldwide, for instance in 2004 a magnitude 9.1 hit Northern Sumatra the day after Christmas. The USGS has also documented several Christmas Day earthquakes including a magnitude 7.9 in China in 1932.

The Southern California Earthquake Data Center also has details of a Christmas Day earthquake in Riverside County, the San Jacinto/Soboba quake, which occurred more than a hundred years ago. The magnitude 6.5 earthquake in 1899 damaged many buildings in San Jacinto, Hemet, and Riverside, and falling adobe killed six people on the Soboba Indian Reservation. 

New Year’s Earthquakes

New Year’s Eve 1901 was eventful when Cook Inlet, Alaska experienced a magnitude 7.1 earthquake, a volcanic eruption, and several tsunamis resulting from the shaking, according to USGS. The CA Seismic Safety Commission reported that on January 1, 2023, Rio Dell, California was jolted by a magnitude 5.4 earthquake. On January 1, 2024, Los Angeles ushered in the New Year with a magnitude 4.1 earthquake, but fortunately, no major damage was reported, according to CBS News. It was a different story in Japan, where Honshu was hit by a magnitude 7.5 the same day and more than 60 people were killed, again according to USGS.

Diwali Earthquake

On October 30^th, 2024, the evening before Diwali, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck about 170 miles off the southern coast of Oregon, according to USGS. Although this was a powerful earthquake, it was only felt by about 75 people and did not cause significant damage or trigger tsunami alerts.

Kwanzaa Earthquake

On the first day of Kwanzaa, December 26, 2004 a powerful 9.1 magnitude undersea earthquake struck off Sumatra's coast, triggering a powerful tsunami that spread across the Indian Ocean over seven hours according to Britannica.com. The waves, reaching heights of 30 feet, caused widespread destruction from Indonesia to East Africa.

Hanukkah Earthquake

As noted above, the December 20^th, 2022 magnitude 6.4 earthquake in Humboldt occurred on the 3^rd day of Hanukkah and caused significant damage. On December 24^th, 2019, again on the 3^rd day of Hanukkah, a smaller magnitude 3.2 quake hit Riverside County, according to Fox 5 San Diego, while a larger magnitude 6.5 earthquake hit near San Simeon on December 22^nd, 2003, the 4^th day of Hanukkah.

However, if you celebrate the holiday season, don’t let your holiday season get disrupted by earthquakes! Find out if your home is vulnerable, then read about how an earthquake retrofit can help reduce your risk of seismic damage.

How Many Big Earthquakes Have Hit California Between November and January?

Here are some of the largest recent California earthquakes that happened during the holiday season:

Seismic retrofitting is one of the best ways to help protect your home, yourself, and your loved ones from earthquake damage. Retrofits help to strengthen your home and make it more resistant to earthquake damage. And grant programs may be available to help you pay for it.

Earthquake Safety Tips for the Holidays

This holiday season, show friends and family that you care by gifting them meaningful items that will be useful in the event of an emergency. Earthquake emergency kits make a perfect holiday gift or stocking stuffer! Consider giving:

First Aid Essentials: Give a complete set of first aid essentials that can be stored for quick and easy access in an emergency. This can include bandages, over-the-counter medications, soap or sterilizer, instant cold packs, and a dust mask.

Disaster Supplies Kit: Fill a large tote or bag with essential disaster supplies like backup phone batteries, flashlights, portable radios and batteries, tools, etc.

Grab and Go Food Supply: Pack a backpack or bucket full of non-perishable food that can be easily accessed. Don’t forget to include a can opener, mess kit, and a water purifier! And always keep a pair of shoes by your bed that you can easily slip on if an earthquake were to strike in the middle of the night.

Every Day is Earthquake Season in California

Remember that earthquakes can occur at any time. While it may not be possible to predict when the next big earthquake will strike, you can take steps now that will help reduce your risk.

To help protect yourself, your home, and your family from the threat of earthquakes, consider getting an earthquake retrofit. Review our guide on earthquake preparedness and visit our Seismic Strong Blog for additional tips, advice, and information.