powerful-7-0-earthquake-strikes-northern-california

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 struck Northern California, temporarily triggering a tsunami warning that led to evacuations in some coastal areas, including the San Francisco Bay.

 

The earthquake hit offshore, roughly 100 kilometres northwest of Ferndale, a small city in Humboldt County, at 10:44 a.m. local time on Thursday, as confirmed by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

 

Initially, the earthquake was reported as having a magnitude of 6.6, but the USGS later upgraded it to 7.0. The epicentre of the earthquake was located at a depth of just 0.6 kilometres.

 

The tremor was felt across a wide area, with more than 5.3 million people in California being placed under a tsunami warning issued by the US National Weather Service (NWS) shortly after the earthquake struck.

 

This warning spanned from the Oregon state line down to the San Francisco Bay Area. Despite the initial alarm, the warning was soon downgraded, as the NWS clarified around midday that no destructive tsunami had been recorded.

 

In the immediate aftermath, residents along Northern California's coastline and further inland reported feeling strong shaking. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of significant damage.

 

A series of smaller aftershocks followed the main earthquake, but none were strong enough to cause additional harm.

 

The tsunami warning, which had initially raised concerns about a potential disaster, was eventually lifted after confirming there was no major threat.

 

The situation calmed relatively quickly, although the scare caused significant disruption in affected areas. Many people in coastal towns had been evacuated, following the initial warnings from local authorities, but the all-clear message soon brought some relief.

 

Seismic activity in California is not uncommon, given the region’s location along the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates frequently interact.

 

The earthquake on Thursday serves as a reminder of the ongoing seismic risks in the state, despite the relatively low occurrence of such large quakes.

 

The NWS and other emergency agencies continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure the safety of the public in such unpredictable circumstances.