Magnitude 7 Earthquake Off California Coast Leads to Brief Tsunami Alert Cancellation

A powerful earthquake, registering a magnitude of 7.0, occurred off the northern California coast, as reported by the US Geological Survey. An initial tsunami warning, covering the coastal regions of northern California and southern Oregon—an area home to approximately 4.7 million individuals—was subsequently withdrawn. The earthquake’s epicenter was located nearest to Ferndale, California, a small community within Humboldt County situated approximately 260 miles (418km) north of San Francisco. Following the tremor, local authorities confirmed no fatalities or extensive widespread damage. This event marks one of only nine earthquakes of magnitude 7 to occur worldwide this year. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office informed CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, that while there was no catastrophic destruction to structures or infrastructure, some residences sustained minor damage. The sheriff’s office also noted that multiple local businesses reported goods dislodged from shelves, and many residents experienced a temporary power outage. According to poweroutage.us, over 10,000 individuals in Humboldt County lost electricity after the earthquake. Despite the absence of widespread damage, a Ferndale resident, speaking to the BBC shortly after the quake, described the interior of her building as if “looks like a bomb has gone off in every room”. Olivia Cobian, who manages the Gingerbread Mansion Inn in Ferndale, stated that the inn’s interior currently “looks like a warzone”. She elaborated, “We have huge cast iron fireplaces that have been lifted up and moved over, everything’s fallen over, broken”. Todd Dunaway, another individual who experienced the earthquake, was having lunch at his residence in Fortuna, California, when it occurred. He informed the BBC, “It literally felt like standing on a giant waterbed.” He added, “The noise of rattling windows, creaking walls, falling dishes and decorations added to the drama and scariness of it all as it is happening. Naturally – you can’t help wonder as it is happening ‘Is this the really big one?'” Mr. Dunaway recounted that he and his wife, who was also present in their home, felt nervous for 15 minutes post-quake, anticipating a potentially larger aftershock. His sizable swimming pool continued to slosh vigorously for several minutes after the tremors ceased, losing approximately 18 inches (45cm) of water. He also reported that his sporting goods establishment sustained some damage, including shoe boxes falling from shelves, but nothing significant. Numerous aftershocks followed the primary earthquake, which occurred around 10:44 local time (18:44 GMT). Certain localities, such as Berkeley in northern California, issued an evacuation directive prompted by the potential tsunami threat. An X post from the city cautioned, “EVACUATE NOW.” It further stated, “People in the Tsunami Zone are in IMMEDIATE DANGER and MUST EVACUATE NOW. Stay east of 7th St. This is a lawful order to leave now.” Kayla Aihara, a guest at a hotel in Half Moon Bay, California, received consecutive alerts regarding the earthquake and the prospective tsunami. Prior to the cancellation of the tsunami warning, hotel staff instructed her to evacuate a gym and proceed to higher ground due to concerns about the tsunami’s effects. She observed several individuals evacuating outdoors and gathering near the shoreline of the Pacific Coast hotel, observing the waves for any indications of a tsunami. California Governor Gavin Newsom received updates on the earthquake and convened with state emergency personnel to facilitate response coordination. During an event near the US-Mexico border, the governor declared he had signed a state of emergency, aiming to allocate resources for the earthquake response. He remarked that the earthquake serves as “another reminder of the state that we live in and the state of mind that we need to bring to our day-to-day reality here in the state of California”. Tsunami signage is present along roadways in numerous coastal communities across the US West Coast. These signs designate “tsunami hazard zone” areas and frequently direct residents to evacuation routes leading to elevated terrain. Individuals residing in these tsunami zones are advised to acquaint themselves with their evacuation paths and prepare an emergency kit for prompt departure. The emergency services website for California indicates that a tsunami can strike within 5 to 10 minutes following a significant earthquake, and that the initial wave may not always be the largest. It advises that if one observes water rapidly receding from the shoreline and moving seaward, they should “escape immediately to higher ground or inland”. The US West Coast is situated at the junction of several of Earth’s tectonic plates, making seismic tremors a frequent occurrence. However, a powerful magnitude 7 earthquake is not commonly observed in this area. Experts estimate that between 10 and 15 earthquakes of this intensity occur worldwide annually. Data from the US Geological Survey shows that eight other magnitude 7 earthquakes have been recorded globally this year. The agency also states that approximately 20,000 earthquakes are typically monitored worldwide each year, averaging about 55 daily. This region has experienced several significant earthquakes, notably a 1994 event that impacted Northridge, within the Los Angeles area. That quake resulted in dozens of fatalities, thousands of injuries, and billions of dollars in damage to residences and infrastructure.