Washington, Europe Brief News – A 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit Northern California early Tuesday, knocking out power for thousands.
The earthquake caused widespread damage, leaving at least two people injured, officials said.
The quake hit at a depth of 10 miles just after 5:30 a.m. ET near Eureka in Humboldt County, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It struck around 7.4 miles west-southwest of Ferndale, the agency said.
More than a dozen smaller earthquakes appeared to hit parts of the region afterward, it said.
At least two people were injured, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office said. The extent of their injuries was not immediately clear.
More than 70,000 utility customers were without power in Humboldt County as of 9 a.m. ET Tuesday, according to the online outage tracker Poweroutage.us.
“Power is out across the county,” Humboldt County’s Office of Emergency Services said in a tweet, adding: “DO NOT CALL 911 UNLESS YOU ARE EXPERIENCING AN IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY.”
Officials said widespread damage to roads and homes had been reported across the county as it warned residents to “be prepared for aftershocks” and to check gas and water lines for damage or leaks.
“Exercise caution if traveling,” it added.
A section of the historic Fernbridge in Ferndale was closed due to “possible seismic damage,” the California Department of Transportation said. In a photo it shared online, cracks could be seen on the bridge.
