Tens of thousands of residents were left without electricity, and the authorities received reports of damage and gas leaks – this with a magnitude 6.5 earthquake and many aftershocks that followed it
A powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake shook Northern California late Tuesday night, causing undetermined damage and leaving thousands in Humboldt County without power.
Many aftershocks were felt afterwards, some strong reaching a magnitude of 4.6. At this time there are no reports of injuries, as well as no tsunami warnings.
The quake was reported at 2:34 a.m., 11 miles (17 km) from Fortuna, the US Geological Survey said. Its epicenter was in the central Pacific Ocean, just off the coast, about 7.5 miles from the city of Ferndale.
Surfers on social media reported that their house shook violently and furniture fell to the floor: “It was a big one. There is no power in Ferndale, and the house is a mess,” wrote resident Caroline Titus on Twitter, along with documentation from her home.
That was a big one. Power is now out in #ferndaleca. House is a mess. #earthquake pic.twitter.com/YEmcv1Urhp
— Caroline Titus (@caroline95536) December 20, 2022
As mentioned, the earthquake caused widespread power outages from Arcata south to Rio del, where it is estimated that more than 65,000 residents remained without electricity for a while. There were also reports of damage to several buildings – and special teams were called to several calls about gas leaks.
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office wrote on Twitter that “power is out across the county,” and urged residents not to call 911 unless it is an emergency.
Road Closure: State Route 211 at Fernbridge, Humboldt County is CLOSED. The bridge is closed while we conduct safety inspections due to possible seismic damage. pic.twitter.com/601oOQRz2o
— Caltrans District 1 (@CaltransDist1) December 20, 2022
“This earthquake was crazy…a good 15 to 20 seconds of shaking,” wrote one Twitter user.
A year ago, exactly the same area was hit by a 6.2 magnitude earthquake, which also left damage and shattered windows.
Our home is a 140-year-old Victorian. The north/south shaking is very evident in what fell. This was our coffee station. Sorry for dark video. Power still out. #ferndaleca #earthquake pic.twitter.com/md1WKCS58Z
— Caroline Titus (@caroline95536) December 20, 2022
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