7.0 magnitude earthquake created confusion and a tsunami warning in California

Valerie Starkey was driving through Northern California to visit relatives when she suddenly noticed tremors and feared her car had broken down, before realizing it was an earthquake so powerful that it triggered a tsunami warning for hundreds of miles of the west coast of the United States.

The epicenter of Thursday’s magnitude 7.0 quake occurred in California’s so-called “earthquake land,” the area where three tectonic plates meet. It was the most powerful earthquake recorded in the state since a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that shook Ridgecrest in 2019.

Its intensity surprised Starkey and many of the 5.3 million people along nearly 500 miles of the California and Oregon coasts who were under a tsunami warning for about an hour. The warning was withdrawn after no major waves arrived.

“I thought the axles had come off,” said Starkey, the Del Norte County supervisor for Crescent City, a town of fewer than 6,000 people near the Oregon border. “That’s what I felt… ‘My axles are broken.’ “I didn’t realize it was an earthquake.”

The earthquake occurred at 10:44 a.m. west of Ferndale, a small city in coastal Humboldt County, about 209 km from the Oregon border, according to the United States Geological Survey. The tremor knocked products off shelves in grocery stores and led children to take shelter under desks in schools.

It was felt in San Francisco, about 435 km to the south, where residents described an undulating movement for several seconds. It was followed by multiple minor aftershocks. There were no immediate reports of serious damage or injuries from the quake.

The tsunami warning was issued shortly after the quake and spanned from the edge of Monterey Bay in California north to Oregon.

“It was a strong earthquake. Our building shook. We’re good, but I have a mess to clean up,” said Julie Kreitzer, owner of Golden Gait Mercantile, a food, merchandise and souvenir store that is one of Ferndale’s top attractions.

“I have to go. I have to try to save something for the holidays because it’s going to be a difficult year,” Kreitzer said before hanging up.

The region, known for its redwood forests, picturesque mountains and the legendary Emerald Triangle marijuana farm in three counties, was hit by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake in 2022 that left thousands of people without power or water.

This corner of northwestern California is the most seismically active part of the state because it is where three tectonic plates meet, seismologist Lucy Jones said on the BlueSky social media platform.

Shortly after the earthquake, cell phones in Northern California were buzzing with the tsunami warning sent by the National Weather Service that said: “A series of powerful waves and strong currents may impact nearby coasts. He is in danger. Stay away from the coast. Move to high ground or inland now. Stay away from the coast until local authorities say it is safe to return.”

Many cities urged people to move to higher ground as a precaution.

White House spokesman Jeremy Edwards said President Joe Biden was informed of the earthquake and that FEMA officials were in contact with their state and local counterparts in California and Oregon.

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a state of emergency declaration to quickly mobilize state resources to affected coastal areas. State officials were concerned about damage in the northern part of the state, he added.

This earthquake was a sliding type, meaning it moves more horizontally and is less likely to cause tsunamis, unlike more vertical ones, explained Corina Allen, tsunami program director at the National Weather Service in Washington state.

Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channels YouTube, WhatsApp and to newsletter. Turn on notifications and follow us on Facebook, x and instagram.