SAN FRANCISCO: A 6.4-magnitude strong earthquake struck off the coast of northern California early Tuesday, but seismologists said there was no tsunami threat.
The relatively shallow earthquake hit 40 kilometres (25 miles) southwest of the port city of Eureka, in Humboldt County, the United States (US) Geological Survey (USGS) stated.
In a preliminary assessment, the US Geological Survey said there was less likelihood of casualties but did not rule out the possibility of damage.
No warning of tsunami after quake
The National Tsunami Warning Centre (UTWC) said a tsunami was not expected after the quake.
Power supplies appeared to have been disrupted, with nearly sixty-thousand customers left without electricity in Humboldt County of the country, poweroutage.us stated.
“Power is out across the Humboldt County. Do not call 911 as long as you are not experiencing an immediate emergency,” the Emergency Services of Humboldt Country tweeted.
Around a dozen small aftershocks were reported in the Humboldt, USGS said.
Tremors regularly shake California, and seismologists say a quake capable of causing widespread destruction is almost sure to strike the state in the next thirty years.
A 6.7-magnitude strong earthquake in 1994 in Northridge, the northwest area of Los Angeles, left at least 60 people dead and caused an estimated $10 billion in damage to properties, while a 6.9 earthquake in San Francisco in 1989 claimed 67 lives. – AFP/APP
