Power restored, bridge reopens after strong earthquake rocked Northern California coast
Power is back on across Humboldt County, but hundreds in the city of Rio Dell remained without running water Thursday morning as the coastal Northern California community continued to recover from Tuesday’s magnitude 6.4 earthquake that left two residents dead and injured at least 17 more.
Rio Dell, a city of roughly 3,400 people that sustained a water main break in the temblor, had water service restored to about half of its residents, the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services said in a 9 p.m. update Wednesday.
A boil-water advisory remained in place for Rio Dell, as well as some neighborhoods in nearby Fortuna.
PG&E as of Wednesday evening reported power had been restored to essentially all of the 72,000 customers initially impacted.
The powerful earthquake struck with an epicenter 8 miles west of the small city of Ferndale, population 1,400, and has been followed by dozens of aftershocks.
Two residents, ages 72 and 83, died after they suffered medical injuries and “did not get timely medical care” due to the earthquake, Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal said in a Tuesday news conference.
Local emergency officials have since said that the two victims had preexisting health conditions that were “believed to have been exacerbated by the stress of the earthquake.”
The local emergency office on Wednesday reported 17 injuries, as well as least 30 homes and one commercial building that have been determined “structurally unsafe” to occupy. That total includes at least 15 homes in Rio Dell.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday evening proclaimed a state of emergency for Humboldt County. Honsal also declared a local emergency.
Damage assessments are ongoing, and the county Office of Emergency Services said there is no estimate available yet for the total cost of damages.
In addition to structural damage, images posted to social media by residents and journalists showed other destruction, such as shattered windows as well as toppled shelves and other furniture, at homes and businesses.
Damaged Fernbridge partially reopens
Caltrans closed Fernbridge, a 111-year-old structure along Highway 211 that spans the Eel River, on Tuesday after authorities found cracks in four places.
The bridge reopened around 7:30 p.m. to one-way traffic, Caltrans announced.
Caltrans on Tuesday awarded a $6 million grant to a contractor to begin repair work, which continues amid the one-way traffic control.
