A powerful earthquake has just struck the coast of northern California in the United States. Magnitude 7 on the Richter scale, it would have its epicenter at a depth of around ten kilometers near the town of Eureka (north of San Francisco). The earthquake, felt as far away as San Francisco (400 km from the epicenter), triggered a tsunami warning for a large part of the Pacific coast, affecting around 5.3 million people.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) issued a yellow alert, signaling a risk of localized damage, but no major damage was immediately reported. Despite this, there have been disruptions, including train interruptions in the Transbay Tube underwater tunnel and delays in the BART transit system in the Bay Area.
Avoid coastal areas and take refuge at higher altitudes
In some areas like Santa Cruz, residents received emergency alerts warning them of powerful waves and strong currents. Authorities urged residents to avoid coastal areas and seek shelter on higher ground.
This earthquake, initially estimated at a magnitude of 6.6 before being revised to 7, was also followed by several aftershocks. The USGS estimates that about 1.3 million people were close enough to the epicenter to feel the shaking.