A 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit Northern California early Tuesday, killing two and injuring 11, reported Fox News.
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office put out an alert cautioning residents of “widespread damages to roads and homes.” Thousands have been left without electricity.
“Due to a large earthquake, widespread damages to roads and homes are reported throughout Humboldt County. Be prepared for aftershocks. Check gas and water lines for damages or leaks. Exercise caution if traveling,” the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office said in a tweet.
Wendy Pickett Monolias, a resident of Eureka, California, told CNN that she woke up to the shaking from the earthquake.
“Once the shaking finally stopped, we got our flashlights and phones and looked around. Everything was in shambles,” Pickett Monolias said. “Things you wouldn’t expect to have fallen over or broken did. An entire cabinet in the bathroom fell over and broke apart.”
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office cautioned people against calling 911 unless there is an actual emergency.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that there was no danger of a tsunami.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake hit approximately 15 kilometers southwest of Ferndale, California, at 2:34 a.m.
“Earthquakes are common in the region around the Mendocino triple junction,” the USGS wrote in its tectonic summary.
Public reports from the USGS show that people felt shaking as far south as San Jose and as far north as coastal Oregon.
Storefronts were shattered, with some people boarding up windows to protect property from the rain, according to a live report from KRCR.
A road bridge northeast of Ferndale was cracked on Route 211, according to a picture tweeted by the California Department of Transportation (CDOT).
“Route 211 remains closed at Fernbridge in Humboldt County following an earthquake. We’re inspecting the bridge and will update with more info as soon as possible. All other state roadways in the district are open currently,” tweeted the CDOT.
