SEVERAL powerful earthquakes have struck northern California – with a preliminary magnitude 7.3 quake hitting about 60 miles off the coast.
The National Tsunami Warning Center earlier issued a tsunami warning off the northern coast of California, with parts of Oregon also affected.
CBS NewsPeople have been urged to leave their homes after a series of earthquakes struck California[/caption]
CBS News Bay AreaFootage shows chaotic scenes in a grocery store following the earthquake[/caption]
CBS NewsFootage shows a school evacuated following an urgent warning[/caption]
X/caroline95536Footage of a bar hit by the quake was shared online[/caption]
Reports say there is a risk of widespread dangerous coastal flooding and powerful currents.
Some 11 aftershocks were felt, CBS Bay Area reported.
The epicenter was approximately 45 miles southwest of Eureka, California, at a depth of eight miles.
Another preliminary 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit Humboldt County in northern California, while a preliminary 5.8 magnitude quake was reported in Cobb, Lake County.
According to the United States Geological Survey, the earthquake in Humboldt County struck at 10:44 am local time and was felt across a large chunk of the state, including the Bay Area.
In San Francisco, BART public transit services have been suspended.
The Transbay tube was also closed, according to officials.
The 5.8 quake came three minutes later 150 miles away, just north of Santa Rosa.
The US National Tsunami Warning Center announced just before 12 pm local time that the tsunami warning had been canceled for the coastal areas of California and Oregon.
However, evacuation orders are still in place in low areas while officials monitor the situation.
Towns and cities up and down the Northern California coast and into the Central Valley reported feeling the tremors.
Footage appears to show schools being evacuated in California following the quake.
The city of Berkeley has issued an evacuation order due to the tsunami warning.
“People in the tsunami zone are in IMMEDIATE DANGER and MUST EVACUATE NOW,” the City of Berkeley said in a statement on Twitter.
“Stay east of 7th Street. This is a lawful order to leave now.”
San Francisco Zoo has also been evacuated, with the animals secured and staff ordered to move to higher ground.
Video has been shared online of produce shaking inside a grocery store in Davis, California.
One 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of CaliforniaUSGS
Google MapsA tsunami warning was in place in northern California[/caption]
Tsunami.orgThe affected area of coastline where a tsunami warning was in place[/caption]
What causes earthquakes?
Here’s everything you need to know…
An earthquake is a shockwave caused by rocks being under extreme forces
They are typically triggered by the movement of Earth’s crust
Earth’s tectonic plates, the massive shelves of crust that carry the continents and seafloor, meet at points called fault lines
When these plates rub over or against one another, huge amounts of pressure are generated
This creates shockwaves that send violent vibrations through Earth
The shock can split the planet’s crust and create devestating tsunamis
More to follow… For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos.
Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun
Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
