Strong quake strikes off northern California, no tsunami threat

SAN FRANCISCO: A 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck Thursday off the US west coast north of San Francisco, but no major tsunami threat was expected, seismologists said.

The US Geological Survey said there was "a low likelihood of casualties and damage" from the quake.

The epicenter of the quake, which hit at 6:49 am (1449 GMT), was located 97 miles (157 kilometers) west of Ferndale, California at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers), USGS said.

"Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are highly resistant to earthquake shaking, though some vulnerable structures exist," it said, putting the likelihood of fatalities at low.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said no Pacific-wide tsunami threat was expected from the event, and there was no specific threat to Hawaii.