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Earthquake hits Northern California with ’emergency whiplash’

Tens of thousands of Northern Californians had a harrowing morning Thursday, which is perhaps putting it mildly.

This came first Rattles of a magnitude 7 Underwater earthquakes off the coast of Humboldt County just before 10:45 a.m. The powerful earthquake caused power outages and broken water pipes in some communities and knocked many products off shelves. However, no major injuries or damage had been reported as of yesterday afternoon.

Shortly after the first tremors, residents’ cellphones began to rattle and a warning sounded: There was now a risk of a tsunami along a wide stretch of the Pacific coast – from northern Santa Cruz County well into Oregon.

For the next hour or so, government authorities were busy alerting residents to seek higher ground. Firefighters ordered Bay Area beachgoers to evacuate. The San Francisco Zoo was evacuated and closed. Train traffic through an underwater tunnel was stopped. Boat owners scrambled to get their ships out of the harbor.

Then, about an hour later, the National Weather Service had an update: The warning was lifted because there is currently no tsunami threat along the coast.

That left me with what my colleagues Grace Toohey and Hannah Wiley described as “emergency whiplash,” mixed with confusion.

“However, officials say they followed proper protocol to respond to a potentially dangerous tsunami and that it was necessary to give residents sufficient time to get to safety.” they reported.

Some in the first warning zone told the Times that community members didn’t know what to do.

The General Instructions from The Weather Service: “Move to high ground or inland (away from the water).”

Thursday morning’s quake was felt throughout the North and Central Coast and as far away as Sacramento, Reno and southern Oregon. Several aftershocks followed.

Olivia Cobian runs a bed and breakfast in the historic town of Ferndale and told Times reporters the nearly 130-year-old building “looked like a war zone.”

“Claw tubs that were lifted off their mounts and tipped over,” she said. “This is crazy.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for Del Norte, Humboldt and Mendocino counties to “get more resources where they are needed for the emergency response to this morning’s earthquake.”

Yesterday’s quake and the unsettling hour afterward are a good reminder that there are things we can all do to be a little better prepared, no matter where we are in the Golden State. Here are some questions to consider:

If you’re newly inspired to answer these questions and more, check out the Times’ handy guide Guide to all topics related to earthquake preparedness.

Today’s top stories

A Northern California gunman planned to carry out “child executions” at a Christian school, authorities said

• Butte County authorities said they found a statement from the shooter, identified as 56-year-old Glenn Litton, who said the school shooting was a response to “America’s involvement in the genocide and oppression of Palestinians and attacks in Yemen.
• Two children were injured in the shooting and the attacker died. The Butte County sheriff described the shooter as a homeless, mentally ill man with a lengthy criminal record.

Newsom touts California’s efforts against fentanyl at the border. Will it matter to Trump?

California voters wanted tougher penalties for crimes. Can reformers find a new message?

• Despite recent electoral defeats, some reform advocates are confident that their movement “doesn’t need rebranding.”
• Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, who ousted progressive George Gascón, argued voters should not have to choose “between prioritizing safety and enacting real and effective criminal justice reform.”

The Forest Service encourages people to cut down Christmas trees on public lands (with a permit).

• Every year, Americans cut down hundreds of thousands of Christmas trees – often for $20 or less. Forestry officials say it helps reduce the risk of wildfires.
• The Forest Service sold permits for more than 300,000 Christmas trees in 2023. How to get a permit.

What else is going on?

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This morning’s required reading

Two “missing women” cases in Los Angeles went viral on the Internet, even as the facts became increasingly complicated. In the same week, Chanel Banks and Hannah Kobayashi were reported missing. Banks was found in Texas, while authorities say Kobayashi is “missing voluntarily.”

Other must-reads

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to [email protected].

For your time out

Go out

Stay inside

A question for you: Which famous Californian, living or dead, would you like to have dinner with and why?

Tim Moran writes: “The Californian I would most like to have dinner with is Jerry Brown. “During his long political career, Brown has proven himself to be an independent thinker, a visionary on issues such as the environment, and a remarkably resilient politician.”

Elissa writes: “I would like to have dinner with Nancy Pelosi. What a long, successful and amazing career she had while still being a supportive wife and mother. I could talk to her for hours. After having four children and then having a career of her own, I can’t imagine how she achieved everything she did.”

And Scott Eadie writes: “The Getaway introduced me to Steve McQueen and became one of my favorite films of all time. Many years ago I had a dream of meeting him in person. It was incredibly vivid, so much so that at times it felt as if it had actually happened.”

Thank you for all the emails this week. It was nice to hear from you!

And finally… your great photo of the day

Today’s great photo comes from Lynn Crosswaite of Los Angeles: the “rocky and wild” El Matador Beach.

Lynn writes: “It has become a very busy place for engagement photos and Instagram posts. But the day I was there was the first rainy day of this winter. So there were hardly any people there and instead of a normal sunset shot I took this atmospheric photo. The rocks look almost prehistoric. That suits me.”

Show us your favorite place in California! Send us photos you took of special places in California – natural or man-made – and tell us why they are important to you.

Have a great day, the Essential California team

Ryan Fonseca, reporter
Defne Karabatur, buddy
Andrew Campa, Sunday reporter
Hunter Clauss, multiplatform editor
Christian Orozco, deputy editor
Stephanie Chavez, Metro deputy editor
Karim Doumar, Head of Newsletter

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