People watch the waves come in after an earthquake was felt widely across Northern California at Ocean Beach in San Francisco, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (AP/Haven Daley)
- A powerful earthquake struck Humboldt County, triggering tsunami warnings for over 5 million people.
- The National Weather Service canceled the tsunami warning after the quake, with no major damage or injuries reported.
- Cities along the West Coast evacuated residents to higher ground, and local services, like BART and the San Francisco Zoo, were disrupted.
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EUREKA, Calif. — The National Weather Service canceled its tsunami warning for the U.S. West Coast after a powerful earthquake shook parts of California on Thursday.
At least 5.3 million people in California were under a tsunami warning after the 7.0-magnitude temblor, the U.S. Geological Survey said in a yellow alert, which predicted localized but minimal damage. The quake was felt as far south as San Francisco, where residents felt a rolling motion for several seconds. It was followed by smaller aftershocks.
There were no immediate reports of major damage or injury.
The quake struck at 10:44 a.m. west of Ferndale, a small city in coastal Humboldt County near the Oregon border, according to the USGS.
A tsunami warning was issued shortly after the temblor struck and covered nearly 500 miles (805 km) of coastline, from the edge of California’s Monterey Bay north into Oregon.
“It was a strong quake, our building shook, we’re fine but I have a mess to clean up right now,” said a still shaken Julie Kreitzer, owner of Golden Gait Mercantile, a store packed with food, wares and souvenirs that is a main attraction in Ferndale.
“We lost a lot of stuff. It’s probably worse than two years ago. I have to go, I have to try and salvage something for the holidays because it’s going to be a tough year,” Kreitzer said before hanging up.
Numerous cities had put evacuations in place as a precaution, urging residents to move to higher ground or further inland.
Eureka Mayor Kim Bergel said crews were assessing damage from the quake. So far there have been no reports of major damage or injuries. Bergel, who works as a resource aid at a middle school, said lights were swaying and everyone got under desks.
“The kids were so great and terrified. It seemed to go back and forth for quite a long time.” She said. Some children asked, “Can I call my mom.”
The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, known as BART, stopped traffic in all directions through the underwater tunnel between San Francisco and Oakland.
The San Francisco Zoo’s visitors were evacuated as a result of the earthquake, the zoo said in a post on the social media platform X. The animals have been secured and staff has been moved to higher ground.
Shortly after the quake, phones in Northern California buzzed with the now-canceled tsunami warning from the National Weather Service that said: “A series of powerful waves and strong currents may impact coasts near you. You are in danger. Get away from coastal waters. Move to high ground or inland now. Keep away from the coast until local officials say it is safe to return.”
