Magnitude 7.0 earthquake reported off northern California coast, tsunami warning canceled
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake was reported Thursday off the coast of Northern California, according to the United States Geological Survey.
The epicenter of the “strong” quake was off the coast near Petrolia in Humboldt County, the USGS said.
Additionally, a tsunami warning was issued for coastal areas of California and Oregon, including San Francisco, was canceled just before noon local time.
After an earthquake hits the area, products are scattered in the flow of the Shelter Cove General Store in Whitethorn, California, December 5, 2024.
Shelter Cove General Store
“The tsunami warning is canceled for coastal areas of California and Oregon,” the National Tsunami Warning Center wrote on X. “No tsunami danger currently exists for this area.”
The warning was in effect from Davenport, California, to Douglas/Lane Line in Oregon, the National Tsunami Warning Center said.
Police in Berkeley, California, had issued an evacuation order for parts of the city “due to a tsunami arriving in West Berkeley.” The order was later lifted after the tsunami warning was canceled.
“Evacuation orders for West Berkeley have been lifted. It is safe to return to the area,” city officials said.
A shakemap made available by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) shows the location of a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck off the coast of Cape Mendocino, California, on December 5, 2024. The earthquake was recorded at a depth of 0.6 kilometers, the USGS said.
Document from USGS via EPA via Shutterstock
The earthquake was reported at 10:44 a.m. local time, according to the National Tsunami Warning Center.
There was a sequence of “robust” aftershocks in its wake, Stephen DeLong, a geologist at the USGS Earthquake Science Center, said during a press briefing Thursday afternoon.
Subsequent earthquakes reported in the area included a magnitude 4.3 near Petrolia, according to the USGS.
In this screenshot from a video, cars line Highway 1 in Pacificia, California, as people evacuate the area following the December 5, 2024 earthquake.
KGO
There are currently no detailed reports of earthquake damage or landslides, DeLong said.
Shaking alerts in the USGS Earthquake Early Warning System were issued as far north as Lincoln City, Oregon, and as far south as Salinas, California, the agency said. agency.
“The system was activated and performed as intended,” the USGS said.
At least half a million people received the alerts, according to the USGS.
A swimming pool overflows during an earthquake in Chico, California, December 5, 2024.
Linda Floor
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said officials with the state’s Office of Emergency Services were “actively responding to this morning’s earthquakes in Northern California.”
“Californians should follow the advice of local emergency services,” he said on social media.
As for aftershocks, there is currently a 5% chance of an earthquake of magnitude 6 or greater occurring within the next week, and a 34% chance of a magnitude 5 earthquake occurring within this period, the USGS said.
USGS officials advised the public to prepare for aftershocks in the coming days and weeks.
