CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : EUREKA : North Coast Rattled by Strong Temblor

A strong earthquake struck along the North Coast, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. The magnitude-5.3 temblor was centered about 50 miles south of Eureka, according to the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park. The state Office of Emergency Services reported that residents in the town of Petrolia said items were knocked off shelves, but that there was no other damage. Petrolia is near a land formation known as Punta Gorda, almost directly at the point where the San Andreas Fault comes ashore.