6.0-magnitude quake hits California

6.0-magnitude quake hits California
By admin


California's governor has declared a state of emergency following a strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake that seriously injured three people including a child and ignited fires in the scenic Napa valley wine region.

The US Geological Service said that the quake was the most powerful to hit the San Francisco Bay area since the 1989 6.9-magnitude Loma Prieta earthquake.

The quake sent at least a top corner of a brick building tumbling into the street in Napa. Elsewhere it ignited fires, burst water mains and cracked roads in the area.

No deaths were reported but Napa city officials said three people suffered serious injuries after the quake struck at 3:20 am local time on Sunday.

Among them was a child who was critically injured by a fallen fireplace and had been flown to a hospital for neurological care.

Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa said it had treated 89 patients for minor injuries such as cuts and bruises and that all were "non-life-threatening."

Meanwhile fire destroyed four mobile homes and damaged two others at a trailer park in the area, and officials said a fire broke out at another mobile home park as well.

The city of Napa said that a family home had also caught fire.

Issuing a state of emergency, Governor Edmund Brown said that "the circumstances of the earthquake, by reason of their magnitude, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of any single local government."

Napa city officials said they had had more than 100 phone calls from people reporting gas leaks.

However, city public works director Jack LaRochelle said "the big thing we're looking at from a public works infrastructure standpoint is the water main system."

The Napa city official said there had been around 30 reports of water main leaks or breaks following the quake, which struck near American Canyon some 64 kilometres northeast of San Francisco, according to USGS.

It roused people from sleep as far away as San Francisco, and was felt as far east as Sacramento and as far south as Santa Cruz.

Dorothy Roberts, Napa city clerk, said multiple reports of structural damage had come in and that brick buildings in particular had been hard-hit.

USGS issued an "orange alert" for possible damage, a rating which means "significant damage is likely and the disaster is potentially widespread."

The California Highway Patrol closed several off-ramps to highways and at least two roads in Napa Valley because of "significant roadway damage."

Meanwhile sections of streets were closed in Napa due to glass on the road.

And power was still knocked out to around 20,000 customers in the area, home to California's most celebrated wine producing regions, according to the Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Brown said 69,000 people lost power in all.

The power company said it had sent crews out to assess the damage and restore power, and estimated electricity would be back up within several hours.

USGS expert Jessica Turner told KCBS radio that aftershocks of up to 5.0 are likely in the next week.

A handful of small aftershocks had already been recorded by USGS.

Latest News

  • Aviation

Low-cost Indian carrier SpiceJet continues to burn cash

It’s not just low-cost Australian carriers that are facing hardship. SpiceJet, India’s version of Bonza, recently announced a 72 per cent reduction in its net loss versus last year. But, despite this improvement, the airline has posted losses for six straight years. But it has secured board approval to raise up to INR 30 billion […]

  • Attractions

SAKA Museum recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2024

AYANA Resort Bali’s newly-opened cultural and events centre, SAKA Museum has been recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places list for 2024. Part of AYANA Bali’s resort destination, the museum integrates Bali’s rich history with state-of-the-art facilities, making it the centrepiece for the island’s spiritual and cultural heritage. TIME magazine’s inclusion of SAKA Museum in […]

  • Cruise

Silversea taps Barbara Biffi as senior vice president for global sales

Ultra-luxury and expedition cruise travel brand, Silverseas, has announced Barbara Biffi as its new senior vice president of global sales. Biffi joined the company in 2007, holding numerous positions and gaining a deep understanding of the brand, the preferences of its guests and its strategic goals, the company said. An Italian national with a wealth […]

  • Technology
  • Travel Agents

Amadeus welcomes FCM Travel as new reseller partner of Cytric Easy

Cytric Easy, the travel management tool embedded in Microsoft Teams, is to be integrated into FCM Travel portfolio. Amadeus and FCM Travel have extended their Cytric distribution agreement to include Cytric Easy. With this new agreement, global travel management company FCM Travel, becomes a reseller of the innovative travel management collaboration solution embedded into Microsoft […]