Magnitude 7.0 earthquake shakes Northern California; tsunami warning issued

A powerful earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale was recorded on the north coast of California, United States, on Thursday morning, and authorities issued a tsunami alert.

The earthquake occurred at 10:44 a.m. local time, west of Ferndale, a city in Humboldt County, near the border with the state of Oregon, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

So far, the authorities have not reported any serious damages or injuries.

The tsunami warning system identified the earthquake's epicenter as 45 miles (over 72 kilometers) southwest of Eureka, California, at a depth of eight miles (approximately 12.9 kilometers). The event was located at coordinates 40.3° North latitude and 124.7° West longitude.

At least 5.3 million people in California were under a tsunami alert after the magnitude 7.0 earthquake, according to the USGS in a yellow alert that predicts localized but minimal damage, as reported by the AP news agency.

The tsunami warning, issued shortly after the tremor, covered nearly 805 kilometers of coastline, from the edge of California's Monterey Bay to Oregon.

Residents throughout the northern California area received a tsunami warning on their mobile phones from the National Weather Service (NWS), alerting them: “A series of powerful waves and strong currents may impact nearby shores. You are at risk. Stay away from coastal waters. Move to higher ground or inland now. Stay away from the coast until local authorities say it is safe to return.”

The U.S. Geological Survey estimated that more than 1.3 million people live in areas close enough to the earthquake to have felt it.

The tremor was felt as far south as San Francisco, where "residents experienced a wavering motion for several seconds, followed by smaller aftershocks," AP reported.

The National Weather Service urged residents along the entire northern California coast, including the San Francisco Bay Area, to move inland due to the threat of a potential tsunami.

"A wave could reach the coast of San Francisco starting at 12:10 p.m. (local time)," warned Rachel Kennedy, a meteorologist from the NWS office covering the Bay Area. The expert added that they were awaiting a report on the potential height of the waves and described the situation as "quite dangerous."

The Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) halted traffic in all directions through the underwater tunnel between the cities of San Francisco and Oakland.

Visitors were evacuated from the San Francisco Zoo, the animals have been secured, and staff have been moved to higher ground, according to a post from the institution on the platform X.

The authorities in the city of Berkeley also ordered residents in certain areas to evacuate immediately in anticipation of a possible tsunami.

In Eureka, Mayor Kim Bergel announced that evacuations had begun to move people to higher ground and added that the damage caused by the earthquake was being assessed.

Tsunami alert canceled.

At 11:54 a.m. (local time), the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center canceled the tsunami alert for the coastal areas of California and Oregon.

"The tsunami alert for the coastal areas of California and Oregon has been canceled. There is currently no tsunami threat for this region. This will be the last message from the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center regarding this event," the agency stated in a communication on social media platform X.

Frequently asked questions about the earthquake in California and the tsunami alert.