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A powerful 7.0 earthquake strikes off Northern California coast
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A powerful earthquake struck off the coast of Northern California at 10:44 a.m. PT Thursday, prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency. Several aftershocks continued to rattle the area off Eureka following the initial quake.
The magnitude of the quake was 7.0. Other aftershocks were lower.
"It's another reminder of the state that we live in and the state of mind that we need to bring to our day-to-day reality here in the state of California in terms of being prepared for earthquakes," Newsom said in a press conference.
Damage assessments are ongoing, the California Democrat said. He thanked first responders for their swift action in alerting and evacuating people as needed.
A tsunami warning was initially issued after the quake's force but was lifted about an hour later, according to the National Weather Service.
Several local services and venues shut down after the shock first rattled the West Coast.
BART, the transit system serving California's Bay Area, briefly shut down, as did the San Francisco Zoo.
Oregon state parks also closed for several hours due to the tsunami warning, but parks and beaches reopened after the warning was lifted.
In a briefing following the earthquake, experts from the United States Geological Survey said powerful aftershocks should be expected.
They explained that the region where the earthquake occurred is susceptible to seismic activity due to its location over certain tectonic plates.
Despite the powerful shock of the earthquake and warnings about potentially dangerous water swells, local video footage aired on ABC News showed surfers still in the water, attempting to catch waves.
NPR member stations in Northern California and southern Oregon are actively monitoring their communities for any effects from the quake. So far, they have not reported any significant damage.
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