This earthquake of magnitude 6.4 occurred during the night of December 19 to 20 in the north of the state, 40 kilometers from the port city of Eureka.
MO12345LEMONDE with AFP
At least two people died Tuesday, December 20 in northern California, after a powerful earthquake occurred off the American coast, which caused the landslides and deprived of electricity of tens of thousands of people.
This 6.4 magnitude earthquake occurred in the night from Monday to Tuesday, about 40 kilometers southwest of the port city of Eureka, in the county of Humboldt, according to the Institute American geophysics (USGS).
eleven people were injured, the county said in a statement.
“The damage assessment is underway”, but the earthquake has already inflicted “significant damage”, especially on the gas and water conduits in the region, according to the local sheriff office.
More than 59,000 households and businesses remained without electricity on Tuesday at midday, according to the specialized site Powerout. The earthquake has also cracked a road leading to the small locality of Fernbridge.
A high -risk seismic area
California is regularly shaken by earthquakes. According to seismologists, it is almost certain that an earthquake capable of provoking vast destruction will strike this American state in the next 30 years.
In 1994, an earthquake of magnitude 6.7 in Northridge, in northwestern Los Angeles, had killed at least 60s and caused damage valued at $ 10 billion. In 1989, an earthquake of magnitude 6.9 near San Francisco had cost 63 people.