Redwood City – The County of San Mateo stood ready to respond today to a possible tsunami on its coast after a 7.0 earthquake shook part of Northern California.
County responders from the Department of Emergency Management and other public safety departments gathered in the Regional Operations Center to monitor the situation and keep residents informed with updates from the National Weather Service, including a brief tsunami warning that was ultimately cancelled for the entire West Coast. No damage from the 10:44 a.m. earthquake offshore from Humboldt County was reported in San Mateo County. Responders were ready to use the coastside tsunami warning sirens but did not need to.
Evacuation orders were not issued but law and fire agencies cleared the beaches. The County and its partners were also ready to move people if necessary.
Residents are still urged to use caution, particularly near the beach and areas of lower ground.
The incident is a strong reminder for all residents to be prepared for emergencies, including knowing how and where to evacuate if needed, how to reach loved ones and signing up for SMC Alert.
Michelle Durand
Chief Communications Officer
mdurand@smcgov.org