Northern California earthquake near Ferndale, Eureka: Outages reported - USA TODAY

A preliminary magnitude 6.4 earthquake rocked Northern California aboriginal Tuesday morning, jolting residents awake, damaging infrastructure, and cutting disconnected powerfulness to thousands of homes and businesses.

It was not instantly known if anyone was injured, but officials reported "widespread damages" to buildings and roads astir Humboldt County, which is much than 250 miles northbound of San Francisco.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck astatine 2:34 a.m. PT in Pacific Ocean waters about 7.5 miles west of Ferndale at a extent of conscionable implicit 16 miles. The metropolis is astir 19 miles south of Eureka, adjacent the California and Oregon state line.

More than 2 twelve aftershocks were recorded connected the USGS website, astir each of which were little than magnitude 4.

As of aboriginal Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service's tsunami informing strategy reported determination was no tsunami menace associated with the quake, which was the strongest earthquake the country has seen successful years.

"Be prepared for aftershocks," the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services tweeted conscionable aft 6:30 a.m. PT. "Check state and h2o lines for damages oregon leaks. Exercise caution if traveling."

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'Widespread damages to roads and homes'

The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office announced reports of harm to homes and roads throughout the county, which has a colonisation of about 136,000 people.

As of astir 7 a.m. PT, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. reported tens of thousands of customers without powerfulness successful the area. In Humboldt County alone, wherever Ferndale is located, much than 71,000 radical were successful the dark.

A photograph posted online by the California Department of Transportation showed State Route 211 which connects Ferndale with U.S. 101 buckled from the quake. The Ferndale Fire Department reported different roads were besides closed successful the country owed to harm including Blue Slide Road, which runs parallel to U.S. 101, a large northbound – southbound highway, stretching from Los Angeles to Washington state.

Residents besides shared photos of damage sustained to homes.

"Our location is simply a 140-year-old Victorian," Ferndale nonmigratory Caroline Titus posted connected Twitter. "The north/south shaking is precise evident successful what fell. This was our java station. Sorry for acheronian video. Power inactive out."

Earthquake among strongest successful caller memory

Tuesday's 6.4 magnitude earthquake could beryllium the astir important to deed California since July 2019, erstwhile a 7.1 magnitude quake deed the Ridgecrest country successful Southern California, according to the state Department of Conservation. A 6.5 magnitude quake was recorded astir 100 miles offshore adjacent Ferndale in 2016.

The earthquake came conscionable days after a tiny magnitude 3.6 earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay Area, waking up thousands of radical astatine 3:39 a.m. Saturday and causing insignificant damage.

That earthquake was centered successful El Cerrito, astir a 16-mile thrust to downtown San Francisco.

It also comes connected the heels of a magnitude5.1 earthquake rattling the San Francisco Bay Area successful precocious October. No 1 was injured successful the earthy disaster. The quake happened connected the Calaveras Fault, 1 of 8 large faults successful the Bay Area and a subdivision of the San Andreas Fault line.

Tuesday's aboriginal greeting quake was the largest the area had experienced successful years, according to USGS data. The past notable quake was a 6.2 magnitude earthquake that struck offshore successful the Cape Mendocino area of Northern California successful December 2021.

That earthquake was centered disconnected the seashore astir 210 miles northwest of San Francisco, conscionable disconnected a tiny municipality called Petrolia that’s location to less than 1,000 people. 

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This is simply a processing story.

Contributing: Associated Press

Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending quality for USA TODAY. Reach her astatine nalund@usatoday.com and travel her connected Twitter @nataliealund.