Quake Sparks Brief Tsunami Scare
7.0 Quake Centered Near Site Of Only Wave Known To Hit U.S.
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Play CBS Video Video U.S. Tsunami Scare A tsunami warning was triggered by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake off the northern California coast, and the evacuation orders sent folks running for their lives. CBS News' John Blackstone reports.
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Video Why No Tsunami In Northwest U.S. Geological Survey earthquake hazards expert David Applegate tells The Early Show why he believes the 7.0 earthquake didn't spark a tsunami in the Pacific Northwest.
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Video Rare Tsunami Warning A tsunami alert was issued on the West Coast, from California up to Canada. Several thousand people were evacuated in Crescent City, Calif., but there was no wall of water. John Blackstone reports.
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People watch the Pacific Ocean just south of Crescent City for signs of a tsunami (AP)
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Evacuees watch the Pacific Ocean for signs of a tsunami from the Enderts Beach lookout just south of Crescent City (AP)
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Interactive Ground Shakers Learn about what triggers an earthquake and get details on some of the world's worst.
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Interactive Tsunami Tragedy A look back at one of the worst disasters in memory with facts, maps, photos and more.
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News Tools Disaster Links Looking for disaster-related information on the Web? Go to the CBS News Disaster Links web site put together by CBS News Producer and Technologist "Digital Dan" Dubno.
Crescent City was hit by the only known tsunami to kill people in the continental United States.
In 1964, much of the city was destroyed by a tsunami generated by a huge earthquake in Alaska, reports CBS News Correspondent John Blackstone. Residents had no warning when the massive wave rolled in, and 11 people were killed. The 20-foot high wave carried away cars as it washed out roads and bridges, and buildings on 30 city blocks were destroyed.
Crescent City resident Richard Anea remembered that disaster.
"My first thought was that this is not a test, it's for real," he told KCBS-AM. "And so we just moved pretty calm, my wife and I. She packed a couple of things that she wanted to take with her, and we were just waiting for further information."
Authorities had about 30 minutes from the time of the tsunami warning to when the wave might have hit.
"We were able to evacuate approximately 4000 people, residents and visitors to our community through the tsunami warning system that we have in place here," Del Norte County Sheriff Dean Wilson told CBS News Early Show co-anchor René Syler.
Xiojin Yuan, the owner of the beachfront Hampton Inn and Suites in Crescent City, said police notified him shortly after the quake hit to evacuate all of the guests at the 53-room hotel.
"I went to each of the rooms along with another worker and told all the guests they needed to evacuate," Yuan said. "People evacuated in a really orderly way. The police and firefighters in Crescent City did an excellent job. They obviously are prepared for this kind of event."
"Crescent City, having been impacted by the last [tsunami, in 1964], is probably more prepared than any other community in the united states to handle one of these tsunamis," Sheriff Wilson said.
©MMV CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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