Earthquake of 6.4 Magnitude Strikes Northern California

A strong earthquake measuring 6.4 in magnitude struck the far northern coast of California early yesterday, causing destruction to homes and roads and disrupting facilities, resulting in water and electricity outages for thousands of residents. Authorities in Humboldt County reported that at least 12 people were injured and two were killed due to "medical emergencies" that occurred during or immediately after the earthquake. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for Humboldt County to support the emergency response to the earthquake. This region experiences relatively frequent seismic activity; however, the most recent quake appears to have caused more damage and service interruptions than other tremors in recent years.