Major quake strikes off coast of Northern California (Wizbang)

AP is reporting a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck minutes before 8PM off the coast of California near the California-Oregon border. A tsunami warning is in effect from the California-Mexico border all the way north to Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Residents were being evacuated from low-lying areas of Crescent City, KCBS radio reported.

Just this Monday The San Francisco Chronicle reported on the work of UC Santa Cruz scientist geophysicist Steven Ward who, spurred by the tragedy of December's great Sumatra quake and tsunamis, estimated the heights that a similar quake-spawned tsunami would reach on the West coast. Ward estimates the ensuing tsunamis from a 9.0 earthquake would hit the the shores from British Columbia as far south as the tip of Baja California at heights equal to or greater than those recorded in the Sumatra quake. Ward's graphic can be seen here, and in an eerily timed accompanying picture, damage from Crescent City's last tsunami is shown as well.

USGS has a map of the quake area overlaid with the intensity level reported by residents.

Via: The Moderate Voice

Update (9:45 PM PST): The tsunami warning and watch has been canceled.

Comments (4)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !</... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by McCain | June 15, 2005 1:44 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

McCain:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !

Posted on June 15, 2005 01:44

I just got home from lovely... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by Jihad Jimmy, Chief Defender of the Faith | June 15, 2005 4:27 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Jihad Jimmy, Chief Defender of the Faith:

I just got home from lovely San Francisco, where apparently there was a tsunami warning, but nobody bothered to tell me or any of the other patrons in the strip club until the warning had been cancelled.

Tell you the truth, I was more concerned that my beloved Giants were grabbing their ankles for the Twins on Fox Sports Bay Area. But I would've given priority to a killer wave moving up Broadway...

Posted on June 15, 2005 04:27

Whew, now that the West Coa... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by BR | June 15, 2005 8:21 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

BR:

Whew, now that the West Coast has survived that threat and Gov. Arnold won't have to declare a double-disaster area, back to MSM-bashing: Did y'all see parent company Viacom is "divorcing" itself from the CBS name? It's described as "...Creation of Two Publicly Traded Companies" in their press release, but makes me wonder if it didn't have something to do with CBSgate, falling ratings, future legal liabilities...

Posted on June 15, 2005 08:21

But the son of Jor-El will ... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by mantis | June 16, 2005 2:13 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

mantis:

But the son of Jor-El will live on.

Posted on June 16, 2005 02:13