Major Earthquake Strikes Northern California, Sparks Brief Tsunami Alert

International News Department 06-12-2024

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 rattled Northern California on Thursday morning, briefly triggering a tsunami warning that led to temporary evacuations in several coastal regions, including parts of the San Francisco Bay Area.

The earthquake struck offshore at 10:44 a.m. local time, with its epicenter located approximately 100 kilometers northwest of Ferndale, a small city in Humboldt County with a population of just over 1,000 residents. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) initially reported the quake as having a magnitude of 6.6 but later revised it to 7.0. The epicenter was determined to be at a shallow depth of 0.6 kilometers, increasing the intensity of the shaking felt across the region.

The tremor prompted an immediate tsunami warning issued by the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS), covering a wide stretch of coastline from the Oregon border down to the San Francisco Bay Area. Approximately 5.3 million people were within the warning zone, and precautionary evacuations were carried out in some vulnerable coastal areas. Despite the alarm, the NWS clarified that the tsunami alert only predicted minimal, localized damage, and by noon, the warning was canceled after no significant wave activity was detected.

“No destructive tsunami has been recorded,” the NWS confirmed in a statement, providing reassurance to residents who had braced for potential impacts.

The earthquake was widely felt across Northern California, with reports of shaking extending as far inland as the Central Valley. Residents described the quake as strong and sudden, causing unease in communities along the coast.

In the hours following the main quake, Northern California experienced about a dozen aftershocks of varying magnitudes. While the aftershocks were noticeable, there were no immediate reports of significant damage or injuries. Local emergency response teams monitored the situation closely, ensuring that residents were safe and no critical infrastructure had been affected.

Earthquakes are not uncommon in California, given its position along the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire. However, Thursday’s event served as a stark reminder of the region’s vulnerability to both major seismic activity and its potential to trigger secondary hazards such as tsunamis.

Authorities encouraged residents to remain prepared for future emergencies, emphasizing the importance of having emergency kits and evacuation plans in place. As the affected communities began to return to normal, the event underscored the unpredictable nature of seismic activity in the region and the importance of robust preparedness measures.