Tsunami warning issued after huge earthquake hits California

A tsunami warning has been issued after a major earthquake struck California on Thursday (December 5). The 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of northern California.

The US National Tsunami Center raised the alert just before 11am local time on Thursday. The United States Geological Survey said the 7.0 magnitude quake had been reported 100km south west of Ferndale.

The tremors were said to be widely across northern Carolina and as far south as San Francisco, followed by smaller aftershocks.

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The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District stopped traffic in all directions through the underwater tunnel between San Francisco and Oakland.

At least 5.3 million people in California were under a tsunami warning after the magnitude 7.0 earthquake, the US Geological Survey said. And, more than 1.3 million people lived close enough to the quake that they could have felt it, the USGS estimated.

A tsunami warning was issued from Davenport, California in Santa Cruz County to the Oregon border. The warning area includes the San Francisco Bay.

Residents of Northern California received the following message on their phones from the National Weather Service: "A series of powerful waves and strong currents may impact coasts near you.

"You are in danger. Get away from coastal waters. Move to high ground or inland now. Keep away from the coast until local officials say it is safe to return."