The strong earthquake was followed by a series of smaller aftershocks.
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the northern coast of California. American authorities fear a tsunami and have therefore asked residents to move further inland. 5.3 million people live in this area, the US authorities inform about the level of alarm. It currently predicts localized but minimal damage. TASR informs on the basis of reports from Reuters and .
Residents in the area received warning text messages from the National Weather Service, which read: “A series of strong waves and strong currents may affect coastlines near you. You are in danger. Away from coastal waters. Now move to higher ground or inland. Stay away from the coast until local officials confirm it is safe to return.”
According to Rachel Kennedy, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office, a tsunami wave could reach the coast of San Francisco soon. Forecasters are waiting to hear back on how high the waves could potentially be, she said.
Traffic in all directions through the underwater tunnel between San Francisco and Oakland has already been halted by the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, known as BART. The city zoo also joined the evacuation, which secured all the animals and moved the staff to higher places.
The first tremors were felt by residents of the state at 10:44 a.m. local time west of the coastal town of Ferndale. The 7.0-magnitude tremors occurred at a depth of ten kilometers and were felt as far north as San Francisco.
