Major earthquake strikes off California's coast, sparking tsunami warnings and evacuation orders

• California experienced a series of earthquakes Thursday morning.
• Tsunami warnings have been issued across northern California and southern Oregon.
• Preliminary data suggests the earthquakes were magnitudes 6.6 and 7.0

Two major earthquakes struck near California's coast early Thursday.

According to preliminary data from the United States Geological Survey, the first quake was a magnitude 6.6 with an epicenter about 40 miles west-northwest of Petrolia.

The second was a larger quake of magnitude 7.0 with an epicenter about 60 miles west-southwest of Ferndale. This larger quake was offshore, which sparked a series of tsunami warnings.

The US National Tsunami Warning Center issued tsunami warnings along the coast of northern California to southern Oregon, that lasted about an hour.

The center canceled the warnings around 11:54 a.m. local time stating "There is no longer a tsunami threat from this earthquake."

According to the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services the tsunami warning was issued to the "coastal areas of California and Oregon from Davenport, California (10 miles NW of Santa Cruz) to Douglas/Lane Line, Oregon (10 miles SW of Florence)."

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been briefed on the earthquakes and is meeting with state emergency officials, the governor's press office said in a post on X.

Several cities have been issuing evacuation orders, as well.

This is a developing story, check back for more information.