Magnitude 6.9 Earthquake Hits Northern California, No Injuries Reported

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed that an earthquake of magnitude 6.9 hit the coast of northern California late Sunday.

The quake struck at 05:18 GMT on March 10, 2014 and the epicenter was some 50 miles west of Eureka. There are no reports of any injuries.

Eureka is located in Humboldt County, California.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a bulletin announcing the intensity and time of the quake, but hasn't issued any tsunami warning.

At least 13 aftershocks were felt and most were close to the land including one with magnitude 3.4  hit 16 miles off the coast, Los Angeles Times reported.

"It just kept going and going, very slowly and softly. It was not violent. It almost felt like you were in a boat that was rocking," Raquel Maytorena, 52, who lives in Ferndale near Eureka, told The Los Angeles Times.

"Felt the Eureka earthquake all the way down here in Redwood City. Friends up there say shaking lasted 30-60 seconds," wrote viewer Kristopher Rowberry on KTVU's Facebook page.

Based on tectonics of the region and past earthquakes, injuries or deaths due to current earthquake are highly unlikely, Jana Pursley, a geophysicist with the National Earthquake Information Center, told USA today

"My car was rocking back and forth," Eureka Police Department Sgt. Brian Stephens, told L.A. Times. "I thought someone was shoving my car back and forth, looked around and nobody was there. Then I realized what was happening."

Eureka is no stranger to earthquakes. A magnitude 5.6 quake hit the area February, 2012- no injuries were reported, according to The Associated Press. A magnitude 6.5 offshore quake rumbled in 2010, which caused minor injuries to some residents.

California is expected to be hit by "The Big One"- a quake that will open the San Andreas Fault, say several scientists.