A powerful earthquake was sensed widely throughout Northern California on Thursday, prompting authorities to release a tsunami alert.
The earthquake hit at 10:44 am to the west of Ferndale, a minor city in coastal Humboldt County close to the Oregon border, as reported by the US Geological Survey.
It was sensed as far south as San Francisco, where locals experienced a swaying motion for a few seconds. This was succeeded by minor aftershocks.
The Bay Area Rapid Transit District of San Francisco, referred to as BART, has halted traffic in every direction via the underwater tunnel connecting San Francisco and Oakland.
The US Geological Survey reported that following a magnitude 7.0 earthquake, over 5.3 million individuals in California were placed under a tsunami warning in a yellow alert, indicating localized yet slight damage.
The USGS estimated that over 1.3 million individuals resided near enough to the earthquake to potentially sense it.
In the Santa Cruz region, phones vibrated with a tsunami alert issued by the National Weather Service stating: “A sequence of intense waves and vigorous currents may affect coastal areas nearby. You are at risk. Leave the coastal waters. Relocate to elevated areas or further inland immediately. Stay clear of the shoreline until local authorities declare it safe to go back.”
Following the earthquake, several safety protocols were implemented. The Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) in San Francisco halted all train services, especially through the underwater tunnel that links San Francisco and Oakland, to evaluate the infrastructure’s condition. Moreover, the San Francisco Zoo cleared its visitors, ensuring the safety of both the animals and personnel by relocating them to higher ground. This quick reaction highlighted the area’s preparedness for these natural occurrences.
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Eureka’s Mayor, Kim Bergel, stated that teams were assessing the earthquake’s effects. Bergel, present at a middle school during the incident, recounted how the lights flickered while everyone sought refuge under their desks. “The children got very frightened. It appeared to oscillate for a considerable duration,” she recalled. The children’s anxiety was evident, with several requesting to reach out to their parents during the turmoil.
