Magnitude 7.0 earthquake in northern California prompts brief tsunami warning

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake has jolted a large area of northern California, prompting a brief tsunami warning for 5.3 million people along the west coast of the United States.

The quake struck at 10:44am local time west of Ferndale, a small city in coastal Humboldt County, about 209 km from the Oregon border, the US Geological Survey said.

It was felt as far south as San Francisco, some 435 km away, where residents described a rolling motion for several seconds. It was followed by multiple smaller aftershocks.

There were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries from the quake, one of the most powerful  to hit California since a 7.1-magnitude quake hit Ridgecrest in 2019.

The tsunami warning was in effect for roughly an hour.

Issued shortly after the quake struck, it covered nearly 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 Julie Kreitzer, owner of Golden Gait Mercantile, a store packed with food, wares and souvenirs that is a main attraction in Ferndale.

The region was struck by a magnitude 6.4 quake in 2022 that left thousands of people without power and water.

The northwest corner of California is the most seismically active part of the state since it’s where three tectonic plates meet, seismologist Lucy Jones said on the social media platform BlueSky.

Shortly after the quake, phones in Northern California buzzed with the 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."

Numerous cities urged people to evacuate to higher ground as a precaution.