US: A magnitude-7.0 offshore earthquake occurs off northern California at around 10:44 Dec. 5 /update 1

A magnitude-7.0 earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean off of northern California at around 10:44 Dec. 5. The epicenter was about 63 km (39 miles) west-northwest of Petrolia, California, and 84 km (52 miles) southwest of Eureka, California. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 0.6 km (0.3 miles), and significant shaking was probably felt throughout northern California and southern Oregon.

Authorities in multiple cities have evacuated buildings, and disruptions to public transport systems have been reported in several locations, including San Francisco. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Strong aftershocks are likely over the coming days.

Authorities have issued a tsunami warning for coastal areas extending from the Douglas and Lane county line in Oregon, to Davenport, California. According to the warning, hazardous tsunami waves are possible within 300 km (186 miles) of the epicenter, over the coming hours.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.