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Residents in Northern California were uncertain about how to respond to an official tsunami warning that was issued to five million Californians. While they are familiar with earthquakes, tsunamis are a different and less understood natural disaster in the region.
Authored by Heather Knight, Amy Graff, and Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs
Heather Knight and Amy Graff provided coverage from San Francisco, while Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs contributed reporting from New York.
Californians have been aware of the potential for another destructive earthquake for many years. They are well-versed in seismological concepts and frequently take precautions in anticipation of a major earthquake.
However, on Thursday, residents were surprised by a seemingly unlikely event: a tsunami warning issued for a large portion of the Northern California coast. This caused panic and uncertainty for hundreds of miles of shoreline, from the San Francisco Bay Area to Oregon, and even extending more than a dozen miles inland in certain areas.
An earthquake in the Pacific Ocean triggered a tsunami warning that was later canceled after just over an hour. Despite the warning being lifted, the urgent instructions to evacuate to higher ground caused a state of panic among people, leading many to seek safety in the hills.
Jon Ward, an architect living in a rented beachfront house on Stinson Beach, located north of San Francisco, was at first doubtful about the tsunami warning he received on his phone. However, after thinking it over, he decided to take it seriously and called his wife, who was out for a walk, to tell her to come back quickly.
They headed towards Mount Tamalpais in the Marin Hills and intended to park at the first available spot for cars. However, they encountered a problem as each car turnout they passed was already full of vehicles.
Mr. Ward, who is 66 years old, mentioned that many other people had the same idea as him. After finding a parking space, they observed other evacuees waiting at designated areas along Highway 1 until the tsunami warning was lifted.
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