2 Dead, 11 Hurt After 6.4 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes NorCal

FERNDALE, CA —Two people died following a magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck Northern California early Tuesday morning. The quake knocked out power to 72,000 customers, damaged roads, bridges, businesses and homes, and triggered dozens of aftershocks.

Approximately 11 people were reported as injured, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office said in an early afternoon statement. Officials noted there were two deaths as result of “medical emergencies” during or just after the quake.

The Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services initially tweeted that there were reports of “widespread damages to roads and homes,” but authorities subsequently indicated there were pockets of significant damage but overall it was less than what might be expected from the size of the temblor.

Two hospitals in the area lost power and were running on generators and as of 1:30 p.m., more than 70,000 PG&E customers in Humboldt County were without power, according to the sheriff's office.

"Pacific Gas and Electric Company is actively working to restore power with no estimated time of restoration," a news release said.

State Route 211 at Fernbridge in Humboldt County has been shut down and an image from the scene showed the asphalt cracked along the roadway, above the Eel River.

"We're inspecting the bridge and will update with more info as soon as possible," Caltrans District 1 officials said on Twitter. "All other state roadways in the district are open currently."

The city of Eureka, with a population of 26,000 residents, said on its website that “no significant damage” was immediately reported.

Eureka resident Dan Dixon, 40, said he and his wife were sleeping when it jolted them awake and shook everything, throwing pictures in their home to the ground. Their infant daughter, he said, slept through it.

“It was probably the most violent earthquake we have felt in the 15 years I have lived here,” he said. “It physically moved our bed.”

The power outage involved the main transmission line that runs into the region and PG&E's restoration work was slowed because rain prevented use of a helicopter to assess damage, State Sen. Mike McGuire, who represents the area, said.

Ferndale is located roughly 260 miles north of San Francisco.

Humboldt County has about 136,000 residents and is in a part of the state that has a long history of large earthquakes, including a magnitude 7.0 in 1980 and a 6.8 in 2014, according to the California Earthquake Authority.

The earthquake occurred in an area known as the Mendocino Triple Junction, where three tectonic plates meet.

“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.

The region is part of California's lightly populated far north coast, home to redwood forests, mountains, a port and a state university. Long before the state legalized marijuana, Humboldt was part of the three-county Emerald Triangle where clandestine cannabis production was legendary.

The Associated Press contributed to this story

RELATED:

• Little Known Bay Area Fault Could Trigger The Next Big One
• Are You Living on a Fault Line?
• Fault Capable Of 8.0 Quake Awakens Thanks To Ridgecrest Temblors
• Long Overdue Eastern Sierra Quake Could Rock Reno, Lake Tahoe
• Most People Don't Know About Earthquakes
• 7.1 Magnitude Quake Rattles Southern California
• Strong Earthquake Prompts Preparedness Reminders
• Earthquake Preparedness: Must-Have List
• Earthquake Preparedness For CA Pet Owners