HUMBOLDT – Humboldt County is still tallying the damage from a magnitude 6.4 quake that rocked and rattled the North Coast during the early morning hours of Tuesday, Dec. 20.
The most severe damage occurred in the Eel River Valley communities of Rio Dell and Ferndale.
“At least 17 injuries have been reported as a result of the earthquake,” stated a press release from the Sheriff’s Office. “As previously reported, two elderly individuals with preexisting conditions have died as a result of medical emergencies occurring during and/or just following the earthquake. Their conditions are believed to have been exacerbated by the stress of the earthquake.”
The quake struck at 2:34 a.m. just west of Ferndale. It was followed by multiple aftershocks – a 4.6 at 2:41 a.m. near Rio Dell, a magnitude at 5:57 a.m. west of Indianola, a 4.0 at 7:13 a.m. north east of Hydesville, a 4.2 at 2:09 p.m. near Ferndale, a 4.3 at 2:11 p.m. near Ferndale and a 4.1 at 5:11 p.m. west of Ferndale.
The quake knocked out power to most of the county, leaving about 70,000 Pacific Gas & Electric customers in the dark.
Local supermarkets quickly sold out of everything from firewood to flashlight batteries.
Most customers got their power back on later that evening.
While there was plenty of broken glass and some structural damage in Northern Humboldt, the brunt of the damage was in Rio Dell and Ferndale, where dozens and homes and structures were red tagged.
In Rio Dell, about 3,400 residents didn’t have water. Those who did were advised to boil the water.