A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck California near Petrolia, about 265 miles north of San Francisco, causing a strong shake and a tsunami warning that stretched from southern Oregon to San Francisco. Over 150,000 people were exposed to the shaking, and the quake was felt across Humboldt County. By 12:30 p.m., 13 aftershocks had occurred, with more than 39 reported by 2:30 p.m. Despite the strong jolt, no major injuries or damages were reported. The earthquake was mainly characterized by horizontal motion, occurring offshore and not particularly deep.
Videos captured the violent shaking of a car and rattling plants in a cannabis grow room during the quake. Damage assessments in the affected areas are ongoing. Dr. Stephen DeLong of the U.S. Geological Survey explained that the quake was caused by two faults sliding past each other.
News reporters Fernando Cervantes Jr. and Saman Shafiq covered the earthquake and provided updates. Cervantes can be reached at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and followed on Twitter @fern_cerv_. Shafiq can be reached at sshafiq@gannett.com and followed on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
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