A 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck a remote area of Northern California on Wednesday morning, causing panic in the area. However, there were no immediate reports of any major damage or injuries in the area. The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake had an initial magnitude of 5.6 and occurred at 8:10 am local time.
The quake’s epicenter was about 225 kilometers northeast of San Francisco and 80 kilometers east of the coastal fishing town of Fort Bragg. According to USGS data, the earthquake occurred approximately 8 kilometers below the ground surface, due to which its impact was felt in the entire area.
Officials said they are still taking stock of the situation, but initial reports suggest that the earthquake caused less devastation but still left people scarred.
The USGS located the epicenter underground in Mendocino County, although the shock wave traveled far enough to be felt as far away as Fort Bragg and surrounding areas. A few minutes later, a small aftershock of magnitude 2.5 occurred near the same spot. Seismologists say that such aftershocks are common after an earthquake of this size.
The walls cracked…
According to the USGS, the shaking was felt by people in Yukiah, Redwood Valley, San Jose, Sacramento and parts of the San Francisco Bay Area. Initial reports showed that damage in the quake-hit area was minimal, but clearly visible.
According to US media, the earthquake caused cracks in walls, knocked items off shelves, forced at least one business to be temporarily closed and left thousands without power.