Powerful Quake Hits Northern California; 70K without Power

A strong earthquake early on Tuesday jolted inhabitants awake, knocked off electricity for 70,000 people, damaged several structures, and blocked a road, according to officials. There were at least 11 injuries noted.

A little town located close to the Pacific coast and around 210 miles (345 kilometres) northwest of San Francisco had a magnitude 6.4 earthquake at 2:34 in the morning. Just offshore, at a depth of roughly 10 miles, was the epicentre (16 kilometers). There were lots of aftershocks.

According to Brian Ferguson, a representative for the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, there was "some damage" to buildings and infrastructure in Humboldt County, and two hospitals in the area lost power and had to run on generators, but the extent of the damage seemed "minimal" in comparison to the magnitude of the earthquake.

The area, which is a small portion of California's far north coast, has redwood woods, mountains, a harbour, and a state institution. Humboldt was a part of the three-county Emerald Triangle, where illegal cannabis cultivation was famous, long before the state legalised marijuana.

According to reports, there were about 11 injuries, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office stated in a statement early in the afternoon. According to officials, two people died as a result of "medical emergencies" that occurred during or right after the earthquake.

According to Cal OES Director Mark Ghilarducci, damage was largely concentrated in the small towns of Rio Dell, Ferndale, and Fortuna.

Ghilarducci stated that evaluations were still in progress but did not provide details on the degree of damage to buildings and infrastructure. He added that included the amount of residences that would sustain enough damage to require residents to relocate.

"This is another example of the fact that earthquakes can occur at any time without notice," he said.

Authorities shut down a crucial Ferndale bridge after it was destroyed. A picture of the crumbled pavement was tweeted by the state traffic department.

Rio Dell, a town of only a few thousand people, took the brunt of the destruction, according to state senator Mike McGuire, who represents the region. Despite not being present at the time of the earthquake, McGuire claimed to have heard accounts of "severe," prolonged shaking.

The municipal water system was destroyed, he said, and a few buildings toppled off their foundations. However, it was not apparent whether any residences or businesses lost access to water.