Quake-rattled Humboldt County shaken by another one, 5.4 magnitude

Residents near the city of Rio Dell in Humboldt County were jolted by a 5.4 magnitude earthquake on Sunday around 10:30 a.m.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the epicenter of the quake was about nine miles southeast of the small town of approximately 3,000. The event was large enough to trigger ShakeAlert, an early warning system that sends an alert about an impending earthquake.

According to state Sen. Mike McGuire, who represents the state’s North Coast, some structures have been damaged in Rio Dell but no specific number was immediately available. The city is also conducting tests of its water system, said McGuire. According to PG&E, about 1,000 residents are facing power outages.

Eureka resident Lizzie Brown, who lives about 20 miles from the epicenter of Sunday’s earthquake, said she felt the shaking come on slowly.

“Then it just started to jerk,” said Brown, who was sitting on her home’s front porch. “I could hear stuff in the house breaking. I could hear my dogs barking.”

Brown said the shaking lasted around eight to nine seconds — and a couple of her wine glasses broke.

CalTrans has closed a bridge on State Route 211 to conduct safety inspections. The governor’s office said they were monitoring the situation and working with local officials in the area.

The area recently experienced a 6.4 magnitude earthquake in December, which caused violent shaking along the Northern Coast and the deaths of two older residents. The quake also cracked roads and left thousands without power. USGS geophysicist Jessica Turner said Sunday afternoon that it is possible that the January quake is an aftershock of the December incident.