Thu Dec 05 21:28:26 UTC 2024: ## Powerful Earthquake Triggers Tsunami Warning in Northern California
**San Francisco, CA** – A major 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Northern California Thursday morning, prompting a tsunami warning for the region. The quake, which hit west of Ferndale, a small town in Humboldt County near the Oregon border at 10:44 AM, sent tremors as far south as San Francisco. Residents reported feeling intense shaking, describing it as a violent swaying motion, followed by several powerful aftershocks.
The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system immediately suspended all service through underwater tunnels between San Francisco and Oakland as a precaution.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that at least 5.3 million people in California are at risk from the tsunami. The USGS further estimates that approximately 1.3 million people were in the area where the shaking was strongly felt.
A tsunami warning was issued by the National Weather Service for the Santa Cruz area, urging residents to immediately evacuate coastal areas and seek higher ground. The warning emphasized the imminent threat of strong waves and currents, advising people to stay away from the coast until authorities deem it safe to return. The intense shaking and subsequent tsunami warning have caused widespread concern and disruption throughout the region. The cause of the earthquake is attributed to the movement of tectonic plates along the San Andreas Fault.
First Piper 