Tsunami scare along California coast

A major earthquake struck about 130km off the coast of northern California yesterday, briefly prompting a tsunami warning along the Pacific coast.

The 7.0-magnitude quake struck southwest of the coastal community of Crescent City and northwest of San Francisco, according to the US Geological Survey website.

Witnesses felt buildings shaking along the California coast but there were no immediate reports of damage. A tsunami warning was briefly in effect from the California-Mexico border north to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, but was called off about an hour after the quake hit.