A powerful earthquake struck off the coast of California, United States, on Thursday. there was a tsunami warning, said seismologists from the North American country. The alert was canceled hours later.
The magnitude 7.0 quake struck at a depth of just 10 kilometers (six miles), nearly 100 kilometers west-southwest of Ferndale, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
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“Based on preliminary seismic parameters… dangerous tsunamis are possible on coasts located 300 kilometers from the earthquake epicenter,” noted a warning issued by the National Weather Service’s Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu.
The warning noted that waves had not yet been experienced in any area, but that anyone near the coast should be alert to the possibility of danger.
Smartphone users received warnings urging them to move to higher ground immediately, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
“A series of powerful waves and strong currents could impact shorelines near you,” the warning states. “You are in danger. Stay away from coastal waters,” he added.
The newspaper said tsunami warning sirens were activated along a stretch of coast, including at Bonny Doon in Santa Cruz County.
The USGS, which monitors seismic activity, said the earthquake occurred at 10:44 a.m. local time (1844 GMT).
Media reports suggested that the earthquake had been felt throughout the region, including the Bay Area, where some people reported feeling strong tremors and waves beneath their feet.
The west coast of the United States It is the confluence of several of the Earth’s tectonic plates, and tremors are not uncommon.
The area has been hit by several major earthquakes, including one in 1994 that hit Northridge in the Los Angeles area. killing dozens of people and injuring thousands more, as well as causing billions of dollars in damage to homes and infrastructure.
The 1906 San Francisco earthquake, which also caused a tsunami, is believed to have killed more than 3,000 people, some of whom died in fires that broke out after the powerful tremor.
‘Intense shaking’
The quake was apparently felt throughout the region, including in the San Francisco Bay area, where some people reported feeling strong tremors and waves under their feet.
Marc Buller, a lawyer who lives in Eureka, a port city in Northern California near the ocean epicenter, said he has experienced many earthquakes, but this one felt unusual.
“It was a very strong shaking. When the strong shaking stopped, it seemed as if the house was on wheels,” he told AFP.
“It was like when you throw a big stone into water and ripples appear, it was like the earth was doing that.”
The west coast of the United States is the confluence of several of the Earth’s tectonic plates, and tremors are not uncommon.
The area has been hit by several major earthquakes, including one in 1994 that struck Northridge, in the Los Angeles area, killing dozens of people and injuring thousands more, as well as causing billions of dollars in damage to homes and infrastructure.
The 1906 San Francisco earthquake, which also caused a tsunami, is believed to have killed more than 3,000 people, some of whom died in fires that broke out after the powerful tremor.
According to the EFE News agency, initially, the USGS classified the intensity of the earthquake at 6.6 but later raised it to 7.0.
Authorities issued a tsunami warning for coastal areas of northern California and central Oregon.
San Francisco Bay Area Residents They received tsumani alerts and have been asked to be attentive to possible evacuation orders.
Authorities are currently assessing the situation and residents are advised to remain alert for possible aftershocks.
So far, no possible victims or damages have been reported.
Humboldt County is located north of San Francisco and is a largely forested area.
(Read also: Strong tremor in Colombia: magnitude 4.4 earthquake alerted the department of Cundinamarca)
Source: https://www.noticiascaracol.com/mundo/terremoto-de-7-0-sacude-el-norte-de-california-en-estados-unidos-alerta-de-tsunami-cb20
