A powerful earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck California on Thursday, according to the National Tsunami Warning Center and the United States Geological Survey. A tsunami warning was issued but later retracted; there have been no reports of serious damage.
The tsunami alert issued urgent warnings for those near the coastline: “A series of powerful waves and strong currents may impact coasts near you. You are in danger. Get away from coastal waters. Move to high ground or inland now.” Fortunately, about an hour after the quake, the National Tsunami Warning Center reassured the public that “no tsunami danger exists for the US West Coast, British Columbia, and Alaska.”
The California ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System was set to inform millions instantly. That system-developed by USGS and its partners-worked well. This early warning network is linked to the MyShake app, which issues alerts across California, Oregon, and Washington State.
Dr. Angie Lux with the UC Berkeley Seismology Lab said alerts were successfully distributed across Northern California and Oregon. “The EEW was triggered for this earthquake and did a great job. It estimated the maximum magnitude at 6.9, which is spot on for earthquake early warning,” she said.
The ShakeAlert system is designed to detect earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 and higher, issuing warnings seconds before the tremors are felt. According to Dr. Lux, the energy released during a quake indicates its strength, and while the initial values remain constant, further analysis may show different calculations.
The earthquake struck at 10:45 AM local time, about 100 miles south of the Oregon border. Stephen DeLong, a USGS geologist, confirmed that no detailed reports of damage or landslides had been received following the quake.
