A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck near the town of Petrolia, California, generating strong shaking and a now-discontinued tsunami warning. More than 150,000 people could have been exposed to the quake, which occurred just offshore of the sparsely populated northern coast of California and was felt across Humboldt County. Multiple aftershocks followed, with at least 39 reported by the U.S. Geological Survey. Despite the strong jolt, no major injuries or damages were reported. The earthquake was described as a largely horizontal motion, involving two faults sliding past each other, and was not particularly deep.
Videos captured during the earthquake show a car shaking violently and plants and lights rattling in a cannabis grow room. The San Andreas fault, located along the coastline, was the source of the earthquake. Damage assessments across the county are ongoing. Dr. Stephen DeLong, a geologist with the U.S.G.S., explained the nature of the earthquake in a news briefing. The earthquake serves as a reminder of the frequent seismic activity in California. Trending news reporters, Fernando Cervantes Jr. and Saman Shafiq, covered the event for USA TODAY.
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