U.S.

Powerful Earthquake Off California Coast Didn't Feel That Powerful

A 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit the Pacific Ocean roughly 50 miles from Eureka, California overnight, and was followed by a series of also-powerful aftershocks. Though powerful, the earthquake doesn't appear to have done much damage. 

By Danielle Wiener-Bronner
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A 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit the Pacific Ocean roughly 50 miles from Eureka, California, overnight, and was followed by a series of nearly as powerful aftershocks.

Though powerful by Richter Scale standards, the earthquake doesn't appear to have done much damage. The Los Angeles Times spoke with local police officers, who said there were no reported injuries and that the quake felt more like a pleasant rumbling:

Eureka Police Department Sgt. Brian Stephens said there had been no reports of significant damage or injuries. "My car was rocking back and forth," Stephens, who was on out on a call when the earthquake hit, told the Times. "I thought someone was shoving my car back and forth, looked around and nobody was there. Then I realized what was happening." The Humboldt County Sheriff's Department also said it had no reports of injuries.

Nearby resident Raquel Maytonera added that this was the longest earthquake she had ever felt, but that it basically amounted to some rattling of stuff on her shelves. Still, the tremor spooked her animals: "My two horses were running around out by the barn, and my dogs, six dogs, were ready to get out of the house," she said. No tsunami watch has been issued following the event.

Roughly 3,000 people said they had felt the quake on the United States Geological Survey website. But it sounds like some people didn't feel it at all: 

And at least one person on Twitter left us with the philosophical question of the night:

This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.