The earthquake occurred at 10:44 a.m. west of Ferndale, a small town near the Oregon border, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was felt as far south as San Francisco and was followed by weaker aftershocks.
A strong earthquake was felt across Northern California on Thursday, and some coastal residents were asked to evacuate inland due to the threat of a possible tsunami.
The earthquake struck at 10:44 a.m. west of Ferndale, a small town in coastal Humboldt County near the Oregon border, according to the US Geological Survey.
It was felt as far south as San Francisco, where residents reported a rolling motion for several seconds. It was followed by weaker aftershocks.
More than 1.3 million people lived close enough of the earthquake for having felt it, according to USGS estimates.
Across Northern California, phones rang with a tsunami warning issued by the National Weather Service: “A series of powerful waves and strong currents may strike shorelines near you. You are in danger. Stay away from coastal waters. Head to the heights or inland now. Stay away from the coast until local authorities tell you it is safe to return.”
At least 5.3 million people in California were under tsunami warning after the earthquake magnitude 7.0the US Geological Survey said in a yellow alert, which predicts localized but minimal damage.
Nearly an hour after the tremors, the tsunami warning for coastal areas of California and Oregon was canceled, according to the National Tsunami Warning Center.
“No destructive tsunamis were recorded,” the center said.
An ocean buoy recorded a slight change in ocean height of a few centimeters about 200 miles from the California coast, but no significant changes were recorded on the coastline, leading to the cancellation of the alert.
The National Weather Service has asked residents of coastal Northern California, including the San Francisco Bay area, to move inland because of the threat of a possible tsunami. A wave could reach the San Francisco coast as early as 12:10 p.m., according to Rachel Kennedy, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office that covers the Bay Area.
Ms Kennedy said forecasters were awaiting a report on potential wave heights. She described the situation as “very dangerous”.
The San Francisco Bay Rapid Transit system, known as BART, halted traffic in all directions through the underwater tunnel between San Francisco and Oakland.
Visitors to the San Francisco Zoo were evacuated following the earthquake, the zoo said in a post on the social media platform pupil.
Additional sources • adaptation: Serge Duchêne
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