A powerful earthquake and brief tsunami threat shakes Northern California

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Earthquake leaves Northern California with 'emergency injury'

Tens of thousands of Northern Californians had a horrific morning Thursday, which may be putting it mildly.

First, the tremor came from a 7.0-magnitude underwater earthquake off the coast of Humboldt County just before 10:45 a.m. The powerful earthquake caused power outages and broken water lines in some communities, in addition to causing many products to fall off store shelves. But no injuries or major damage had been reported as of yesterday afternoon.

Shortly after the initial tremor, residents' cell phones began beeping warningly: There was now a tsunami risk along a wide swath of the Pacific coast — from north of Santa Cruz County and extending into Oregon.

For about the next hour, government agencies were busy alerting residents to look for higher ground. Firefighters ordered beachgoers in the Bay Area to evacuate. The San Francisco Zoo has been evacuated and closed. Train service through an underwater tunnel has been closed. Boat owners rushed to get their ships out of the port.

About an hour later, the National Weather Service got an update: The warning was canceled because “there is no current tsunami risk” along the coast.

This left some with a feeling of what my colleagues Grace Toohey and Hannah Wiley described as “emergency injury” mixed with confusion.

They added: “But officials say they followed the correct protocol for responding to a potentially dangerous tsunami, and that it was necessary to provide sufficient time for residents to reach safety.”

Some in the initial warning area told The Times that community members didn't know what they were supposed to do.

General guidance from the weather service: “Move to higher ground or inland (away from water).”

The quake that occurred Thursday morning was felt throughout the northern and central coasts and as far away as Sacramento, Reno and southern Oregon. This was followed by multiple aftershocks.

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

“Raised claw basins [their mounts] she said. “This is crazy.”

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

Yesterday's earthquake and the stressful hour that followed are a good reminder that there are things we can all do to be more prepared – no matter where you are in the Golden State. Here are some questions to consider:

If you're inspired by these questions and more, check out The Times' helpful guide to all things earthquake preparedness.

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A gunman in Northern California planned to “execute children” at a Christian school, authorities said

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Despite recent defeats at the ballot box, some reform advocates are confident that their movement “does not need to change its name.” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, who ousted progressive George Gascón, said voters should not “choose between prioritizing safety.” and establishing real and effective criminal justice reform.

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What is happening

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A must read this morning

(Los Angeles Times, Getty Images)

Two “missing women” cases in Los Angeles have gone viral online, even as the facts are complicated. That same week, Chanel Banks and Hana Kobayashi were reported missing. Banks was found in Texas, while authorities say Kobayashi is “voluntarily missing.”

Another must read

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

For your downtime

Temple City High School student Desmond Shih, 14, left, collects a string of lights to be pulled to one of 135 deo cedar trees decorated each year on Altadena's Christmas Tree Street.

(Gennaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

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Question for you: Who is the famous person from California, living or dead, that you would like to have dinner with and why?

“The person from California I would most like to have dinner with is Jerry Brown,” wrote Tim Moran. “Over his long political career, Brown has proven to be an independent thinker, a visionary on topics like the environment, and a remarkably flexible politician.

“I would love to have dinner with Nancy Pelosi,” Elissa wrote. What an amazing, long and successful career she had while still being a supportive wife and mother. I could talk to her for hours. After having four children and then a career, I can't imagine how she accomplished everything she did.

Scott Eddy wrote: “The Getaway introduced me to Steve McQueen and has become one of my favorite films of all time. For many years I dreamed that I would meet him in person. It was so incredibly vivid that at times it felt as if it had actually happened.”

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

And finally… your amazing photo of the day

A “moody” view of El Matador Beach in Malibu in November.

(Lynn Crosswhite)

Today's great photo is from Lynn Crosswhite of Los Angeles: El Matador Beach “rocky and gravelly.”

“It's become a very busy location for engagement photos and Instagram posts,” Lin writes. “But the day I was there was the first rainy day of this winter. So, there was hardly anyone there, and instead of the usual sunset shot, I got this moody photo. Almost prehistoric rocks that suit me.”

Show us your favorite place in California! Send us photos you've taken of iconic California locations – natural or man-made – and tell us why they're important to you.

Have a great day from the Essential California team

Ryan Fonseca, Reporter Defne Karabatore, Fellow Andrew Campa, Sunday Reporter Hunter Klaus, Multi-Platform Editor Christian Orozco, Associate Editor Stephanie Chavez, Metro Deputy Editor Kareem Domar, Head of Newsletters

Check out the hottest news, topics and latest articles on latimes.com.

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