SAN JOSE, Calif. — Authorities continue to survey the damage wrought by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake early Tuesday that shook Humboldt County, California, residents off their literal foundations, with tens of thousands of people forced to spend another night in the dark as technicians work rapidly to restore power.
Late Tuesday evening, PG&E announced that it had re-established service for about 40,000 customers — a figure that entails both homes and businesses — which represented a significant dent in the roughly 71,000 who lost electricity after the earthquake.
By Wednesday morning, the utility’s outage map showed at least 15,000 customers still without power, with nearly half of them in and around Fortuna, one of the hardest-hit locales alongside Rio Dell.
There was no overnight update in the assessment of injuries and damage. Two people who died from medical emergencies in the wake of the earthquake were the only announced fatalities directly connected to the temblor, and 11 other people were reported injured.
Damage to gas and water lines, particularly around Rio Dell, continued to be a concern, and residents whose water access has been compromised have been advised to boil their water before consuming it. The same advisory was issued for parts of Fortuna, namely residents living on Forest Hills Drive, Newell Drive, Valley View Drive, Boyden Lane, Scenic Drive and Cypress Loop Road.
Building and home damage has been reported widely across the Eel River Valley, and authorities closed the century-old Fernbridge historic bridge along Highway 211 because of cracking in the structure and road surface. That cut off the most conventional route to Ferndale, the town closest to the coastal epicenter of the earthquake.
A local state of emergency was declared Tuesday by Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal, and Gov. Gavin Newsom declared an emergency for the county at the state level, as well. The moves clear the way for the region to receive emergency aid from the state and federal government, which includes activation of the State Operations Center, the dispatching of the state Office of Emergency Services, and opening access to funds under the California Disaster Assistance Act.
The county, in conjunction with the American Red Cross, continues to maintain an emergency shelter at the Rohnert Park Firemen’s Pavilion in Fortuna, which can be reached at 707-506-5083.
Overnight temperatures hovered around 45 degrees, and forecasters predicted a 30% chance of rain Wednesday as authorities and residents continue to evaluate the fallout of the earthquake. The quake was followed by scores of aftershocks hovering around a magnitude of 3, one of which was reported as recently as 1 a.m. Wednesday.
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