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The tsunami that wasn’t: Photos of 7.0 earthquake that sparked warning

The warning was ultimately canceled after the threat of the big wave passed, though the quake caused some damage in Humboldt County.

The image shows a store interior with products scattered across the floor, including knocked-over bottles and boxes. The ceiling appears damaged, and the scene is chaotic.
A 7.0-magnitude quake caused damage Thursday in Humboldt County and sparked a brief tsunami warning in the Bay Area. | Source: Dylan McNeill/The Times-Standard/AP Photo
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The tsunami that wasn’t: Photos of 7.0 earthquake that sparked warning

The warning was ultimately canceled after the threat of the big wave passed, though the quake caused some damage in Humboldt County.

By The Standard Staff

Millions of people in the Bay Area and along the West Coast were placed under a brief — yet alarming — tsunami warning Thursday morning following a 7.0 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Northern California.

BART temporarily shut down the Transbay Tube, and Muni halted some transit routes due to the warning as officials told people to get away from the coast. The warning was canceled after the threat of the big wave passed. However, the quake — the second-most powerful to strike the U.S. in more than a decade — caused damage in Humboldt County.

In the Bay Area, people watched and waited near the shore for the tsunami that never came.

A disordered grocery aisle with cans and boxes scattered on the floor, surrounded by stocked shelves and a produce section with tomatoes and potatoes.
Drinks and other items cover the floor inside Hoby's Market and Deli in Scotia in Humboldt County. | Source: Dylan McNeill/The Times-Standard/AP Photo
A man in a store gathers items from broken glass cases. Colorful glass pipes and pieces are scattered across the floor with bright signs on the cases.
Hasan Raza cleans up broken merchandise at E&J Liquors in Rio Dell. | Source: Savana Robinson/AP Photo
Waves crash onto a dark, rocky beach, spreading white foam across the sand. A row of large stones lines the shoreline, and a road runs along the bottom edge.
A drone view shows the shoreline in Pacifica following the tsunami warning. | Source: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu/Getty Images
Two people in hats sit on a bench with a misty city skyline and a ferry on the water in the background.
People return to the waterfront at Cesar Chavez Park in Berkeley after the tsunami warning is canceled. | Source: Adahlia Cole for The Standard
A liquor store aisle is shown with bottles toppled over and scattered on the floor, while shelves on both sides hold upright bottles with colorful price tags.
Broken bottles on the floor at E&J Liquors. | Source: Savana Robinson/AP Photo
A group of people is gathered on a street corner near parked cars, under a clear blue sky. They appear to be waiting, with some facing away from the camera.
Students are evacuated from Laurel Tree Charter School to Arcata High School in Humboldt County. | Source: Sage Alexander/The Times-Standard/AP Photo
A person stands on a grassy cliff, gazing at the vast ocean. The waves gently crash onto the shore below under a clear blue sky.
A person watches the waves from a bluff at Fort Funston, just south of Ocean Beach. | Source: Loren Elliott for The Standard
A supermarket aisle is in disarray, with broken bottles and spilled liquids, possibly wine, covering the floor. Shelves are stocked with groceries and festive lights.
Humboldt's Shelter Cove General Store was closed temporarily after the earthquake struck. | Source: Shelter Cove General Store
Three people stand by a waterfront, overlooking a bridge and a large container ship in the distance on a clear day.
Leslie Xu, left, and Deandre Huang take in the Bay Bridge from the Embarcadero waterfront. | Source: Minh Connors for The Standard
People are sitting on steep outdoor steps in a line, with greenery on one side. The scene is sunny, and a car is visible at the top of the hill.
People gather on the stairs near Fillmore Street in San Francisco, looking out toward the bay. | Source: Payton Henson

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CultureEarthquakesHumboldt CountyNewsOcean Beach