Aftershocks rattle buildings and nerves in Humboldt County; Thousands still without power
FORTUNA -- Aftershocks rattled buildings and nerves Wednesday as the earth continued to move along the Humboldt County coast more than 24 hours after a 6.4 earthquake rocked the region.
The U.S. Geological Survey has issued a warning for the region telling local residents that "there is a 6% chance of one or more aftershocks that are larger than magnitude 5, which can be damaging, within the next week."
There were more than 80 aftershocks ranging from 4.6 to 2.5 on Tuesday and at least a dozen on Wednesday morning.
Several aftershocks rumbled through the Eel River Valley Wednesday including a 3.7 magnitude temblor with an epicenter near Hydesville.
Thousands of residents in the small, rural communities that bore the brunt of a strong quake remained without power and under boil-water advisories on Wednesday.
But for hardy souls living in the seismically active region, a little jolt causes a moment of uncertainty but is something that is expected.
"Living the good life here," said Merritt Brodt, owner of The Farmer's Daughter in downtown Ferndale. "But you have to take these bumps along the coast."
Kenny Ransbottom lives in Rio Dell and has grown accustomed to the earth moving.
"Oh, I'm so used to earthquakes," Ransbottom laughed. "Actually, when it started, I thought, oh damn, another earthquake. But this one was just another earthquake."
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Geologists say the epicenter of Tuesday morning's 6.4 magnitude temblor was two miles offshore in the Pacific near the seismically-active triple junction of the Cascadia Subduction Zone (megathrust) -- which runs from Vancouver Island to Northern California. The San Andreas and Mendocino faults also stretch into the zone.
It came exactly one year after a 6.2 magnitude quake shook the region, striking about 12 miles away from Tuesday's quake. A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck there in 1992.
"We're in this moment of geologic time where the most exciting, dynamic area of California happens to be Humboldt County and the adjacent offshore area," said Lori Dengler, professor emeritus of geology at Cal Poly Humboldt.
Officials said that historically there have been 40 quakes in the Cascadia Subduction Zone ranging in magnitude from 6 to 7.
But even locals say Tuesday rocker was out of the ordinary,
"It was just crazy, I mean everything just fell off the walls, and I thought my whole house was going to fall down," said Rio Dell resident Dorothy Johnson.
Key Developments
- The quake did leave 12 residents with minor to moderate injuries. Two elderly residents died of medical emergencies.
- Pacific Gas & Electric officials said the more than 70,000 customers without service had dwindled down to less than 15,000 by Wednesday morning.
- Humboldt County health officials warned residents who live in Rio Dell, Fortuna, on Forest Hills Drive, on Newell Drive, on Valley View Drive, on Boyden Lane, on Scenic Drive and Cypress Loop Road to boil their water.
- Route 211 at Fernbridge in Humboldt County remained closed overnight as engineers continued to access the damage done by the temblor.
- Small business owners were cleaning up damage in Ferndale, Fortuna and Rio Dell.
- The American Red Cross also has established an overnight shelter for community members displaced due to quake damage at the Rohner Park Firemen's Pavilion, 9 Park Street in Fortuna.
