A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck California near the town of Petrolia, generating a strong shake and a now-discontinued tsunami warning stretching from southern Oregon to San Francisco. More than 150,000 people were exposed to the shaking in the area. The earthquake occurred offshore, just north of San Francisco, and was felt across Humboldt County. Numerous aftershocks were felt in the region following the initial quake. Despite the strong jolt, no injuries or major damages were reported, but damage assessments are ongoing in Humboldt County.
Dr. Stephen DeLong, a geologist with the USGS, explained that the earthquake was a largely horizontal motion and struck offshore, not particularly deep. Videos captured the shaking caused by the earthquake, including a car violently shaking and plants and lights rattling in a cannabis grow room.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. and Saman Shafiq are trending news reporters for USA TODAY, with Cervantes reachable at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and Shafiq at sshafiq@gannett.com. Both reporters cover trending news and events.
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