Magnitude-6.0 earthquake in Northern California causes injuries, damaging fires, power outages
Digital Reporter
Sunday, August 24, 2014, 9:02 PM -
The largest earthquake to hit the San Francisco Bay Area in 25 years sent scores of people to hospitals, ignited fires, damaged multiple historic buildings and knocked out power to tens of thousands in California's wine country on Sunday.
The magnitude-6.0 earthquake that struck at 3:20 a.m. about 10 km from the city of Napa ruptured water mains and gas lines, left two adults and a child critically injured, upended bottles and casks at some of Napa Valley's famed wineries and sent residents running out of their homes in the darkness.
Dazed residents too fearful of aftershocks to go back to bed wandered at dawn through Napa's historic downtown, where the quake had shorn a 10-foot chunk of bricks and concrete from the corner of an old county courthouse.
Bolder-sized pieces of rubble littered the lawn and street in front of the building and the hole left behind allowed a view of the offices inside.
What that looked/felt like for in laws in Napa. #earthquake pic.twitter.com/avTYVedRkn
— Andrew Crookston (@acr) August 24, 2014
Sarah Cormier, originally from Cavan, Ont., was in San Francisco preparing to head to the airport with her family when the quake hit.
"I heard a little knocking at first, then you actually felt this shaking," Cormier told the Weather Network by phone early Sunday morning. "The floor was shaking, the bed was moving in the hotel room."
She said the family huddled under a doorframe for a few seconds, before the quake subsided.
"It was a little concerning, no one panicked, though," she said. "That was one heck of a wake-up call for sure."
Infrastructure was impacted by the quake, with several reports of buckled roads.
RT @adamhousley: Here is one of the roads buckled pretty bad in North Napa #earthquake pic.twitter.com/DRlPivVJYT
— Chris St.Clair (@cstclair1) August 24, 2014
President Barack Obama was briefed on the earthquake, the White House said. Federal officials also have been in touch with state and local emergency responders. Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for southern Napa County, directing state agencies to respond with equipment and personnel.
Napa Fire Department Operations Chief John Callanan said the city has exhausted its own resources trying to extinguish six fires, some in places with broken water mains; transporting injured residents; searching homes for anyone who might be trapped; and answering calls about gas leaks and downed power lines.
Two of the fires happened at mobile home parks, including one where four homes were destroyed and two others damaged, Callanan said.
The earthquake sent 120 people to Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa, where officials set up a triage tent to handle the influx. Most had cuts, bumps and bruises received either in the quake, when they tried to flee their homes or while cleaning up, hospital CEO Walt Mickens said.
Three people were admitted with broken bones and two for heart attacks.
The child in critical condition was struck by part of a fireplace and had to be airlifted to a specialty hospital for a neurological evaluation, Callanan said.
(Below: 1989 San Francisco earthquake damage)
The earthquake is the largest to shake the Bay Area since the magnitude-6.9 Loma Prieta quake in 1989, the USGS said.
That temblor struck the area on Oct. 17, 1989, during a World Series game between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics, collapsing part of the Bay Bridge roadway and killing more than 60 people, most when an Oakland freeway fell.
In Napa, at least three historic buildings were damaged, including the county courthouse, and at least two downtown commercial buildings have been severely damaged.
A Red Cross evacuation centre was set up at a high school, and crews were assessing damage to homes, bridges and roadways.
Napa fire says “numerous” injuries reported in Napa area, but none at mobile home park where three homes destroyed. pic.twitter.com/M0pXujzCcV
— Will Kane (@WillKane) August 24, 2014
Pacific Gas and Electric spokesman J.D. Guidi said close to 30,000 lost power right after the quake hit, but the number was down just under 19,000, most of them in Napa.
Twitter was filled with images of minor damage inside homes, some stores and some structural damage, particularly in Napa, Vallejo, American Canyon and other communities closest the epicentre.
Earthquake at @SilverOak pic.twitter.com/uSfHX2WzBk
— David Duncan (@DavidSilverOak) August 24, 2014
The depth of the earthquake was just less than 11 miles, and numerous small aftershocks have occurred, the USGS said.
Just experienced my first west coast #earthquake. 6.0 at 3:20 AM and happened in #AmericanCanyon, right where I live. pic.twitter.com/2leoJ8kdlS
— Rebecca Swink (@BeccaSwink) August 24, 2014
S/o @FreshandEasy stay open during this! #napa #earthquake #napaearthquake pic.twitter.com/oLWpobGLUM
— sfaustina (@sfaustina) August 25, 2014
RT @bgittleson: This photo is very California. #napa #earthquake pic.twitter.com/sYcUlbHp2W
— GabrielleLainePeters (@GabrielleNYC) August 24, 2014
"@Telegraph: #California hit by biggest #earthquake in 25 years https://t.co/gVoYSKH1hJ pic.twitter.com/68MiLS1WY5"
— Marisa Troya (@Mari1402Marisa) August 25, 2014
JUST IN: Queen of the Valley Medical Center in #Napa has received 70 patients, so far, injured in the #earthquake. None life threatening
— Ryan Parker (@TheRyanParker) August 24, 2014
Structural damage, fires reported in Napa, Calif, US following 6.0 earthquake: pic.twitter.com/NzUqClFIQT #Pakistan #Earthquake #News
— Self Exile Perdesi (@superfares) August 24, 2014
More images from the 6.0 Bay Area earthquake "@czachos: Downtown Napa is trashed. #earthquake pic.twitter.com/r9RHwI262T"
— Russell Lewis (@NPRrussell) August 24, 2014
CA #quake “@andy_bms: Wine section at Safeway in American Canyon pic.twitter.com/h5URUWx74s”
— James Spann (@spann) August 24, 2014
Church at Virginia St & Sonoma Blvd, Vallejo, after 6.0 quake. pic.twitter.com/i6gN9tX77v
— voxterra (@voxterra) August 24, 2014
Now, That's Serious Damage! RT @racrmom: Napa hall of justice damage #earthquake pic.twitter.com/TSunFzZmJo
— Bonnie Cozzetto (@COZZEB) August 24, 2014
TUNE IN: We'll have updates on the quake and its after effects on The Weather Network on TV.