Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday proclaimed a state of emergency in Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties to support the emergency response to a 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck off the Northern California coast earlier in the day.
The 7.0 quake struck at 10:44 a.m. off of Cape Mendocino in Humboldt County and was followed by a series of aftershocks in the area, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The earthquake could be felt as far south as parts of the Bay Area.
The earthquake prompted the National Weather Service to issue a tsunami warning for coastal areas of Northern California and Oregon, though the warning was canceled shortly before noon.
The governor’s office said Newsom was briefed on the earthquake earlier Thursday by state emergency officials.
The proclamation authorizes state agencies to enter into contracts to quickly assist any emergency response in the counties and allows fairgrounds and state property to be used for sheltering, among other actions, according to Newsom’s office.
“Today’s emergency proclamation will allow more resources to go where they are needed for emergency response to this morning’s earthquake. I am grateful for the robust system our state has in place that worked as intended today and kept people safe and informed,” the governor said in a statement.