Humboldt County, California Rocked By 6.4 Earthquake

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake shook parts of Northern California early Tuesday, jolting people awake, the U.S. Geological Survey said, causing widespread damage and leaving thousands without power.

The earthquake occurred about 2:34 a.m. near Ferndale, a small community in Humboldt County. It was followed by dozens of aftershocks.

Approximately 71,000 customers are currently without power in Humboldt County, according to poweroutage.us, which tracks outages across the country. That’s 71% of the customers in the county.

Humboldt County Sheriff PIO Samantha Karges says so far, they know of two confirmed injuries, both fall related. Kargas confirms there were rescues Tuesday morning, saying, "Yes, two structure collapses with entrapment."

Emergency officials say "widespread damages" have been reported to roads and homes throughout Humboldt County. PG&E says it has initiated its emergency response plan and crews are responding to gas and electric hazards.