A magnitude of 7 earthquake struck off the northern California coast on Thursday, resulting in temporary evacuations in low-lying coastal areas before the tsunami warning was cancelled. The quake took place at 10:44 am, centered 39 miles west of Ferndale, a small town in the region. Despite the earthquake’s strength, no deaths, injuries, or any kind of major damages were reported, Financial Express reports.
Ferndale’s residents with a population of about 1400 were impacted by the tremor. Local businesses were affected as their merchandise fell and broke. Troy Land, a volunteer and a hardware store owner told Reuters, ‘’It was a big earthquake scene, it made you vacant the building as fast as you could.’’ North of Ferndale in Eureka also reported no major damages only minor disruptions or injuries.
A tsunami warning was also issued by the National Weather Service for 500 miles along the California and Oregon coasts. However, the warning was lifted 90 minutes later. The earthquake led to swift action from the state and local authorities. A state of emergency was declared by California Governor Gavin Newsom to speed up aid facilities to the affected areas. Evacuation orders were issued for Berkeley but it was later taken off after the tsunami threat was diminished. Likewise, warnings were replaced with an advisory in Mendocino County. Although the earthquake led to disruptions, no cases of injuries or damages highlight the readiness of California’s coastal communities in adverse situation.
