A powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake shook Northern California early Tuesday morning, leaving two dead, more than a dozen injured, and thousands without power.
The quake was centered near Ferndale, a small community about 210 miles northwest of San Francisco, and was followed by around 80 aftershocks, with the most powerful one rattling the town of Rio Dell.
The state of California declared a state of emergency in response to the quake, and the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services reported widespread damages to roads and homes. While the damage was not as extensive as initially feared, the quake did set off one structure fire, caused at least two buildings to collapse, and left around 71,000 customers without power.
The quake came just three days after a 3.6 earthquake shook the Bay Area, and seismologists warn that the Bay Area is due for a devastating quake in the next three decades.
Cynthia Pridmore, a senior engineering geologist with the California Geological Survey, stated that there’s a 13 percent chance of another 5.0-magnitude or stronger quake striking in the next week. She advised residents to gather food, water, flashlights and other supplies in case of emergency.
The earthquake also left pockets of significant damage and authorities closed an important bridge in Ferndale that was showing damage. The city of Rio Dell, with a population of just a few thousand people, sustained most of the damage. The emergency services reported that around two dozen houses were so heavily damaged as to be “red-tagged,” declared unsafe for habitation.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company is actively working to restore power, but there is no estimated timeframe for when it will be back on. Governor Gavin Newsom has directed state agencies and departments to take appropriate action as necessary to provide support to local communities.
Measures are being taken in order to offset the dangers from earthquakes, including reinforcing roads and bridges to withstand tremors and constructing buildings to absorb seismic shocks.
