Early on Sunday, August 24, 2014, a 6.0-magnitude earthquake has been reported by the U.S. Geological Survey to have struck Northern California.
A report on CNN mentioned that at least 90 people are injured in Napa, of which three are known to be critical, including a child. Vanessa deGier, Queen of the Valley Hospital spokeswoman, has confirmed the injured numbers.
“There’s collapses, fires,” said Napa Fire Capt. Doug Bridewell, standing in front of large pieces of masonry that broke loose from a turn of the century office building where a fire had just been extinguished. “That’s the worst shaking I’ve ever been in.”
A child was hurt when a fireplace collapsed. He was later airlifted to UC Davis Medical Center.
“The majority of injuries that we are seeing are non-life-threatening, but still serious. Lots of lacerations and abrasions, obviously from fallen debris ” deGier told CNN
The earthquake is known to be the strongest one in the Bay Area since 1989. The last earthquake of such magnitude happened in that year during the World Series.
The earthquake on Sunday had its epicenter 4 miles northwest of American Canyon. The quake had struck 9 miles southeast of Sonoma.
Among the reports, 30 water main breaks have been confirmed by the director of Napa public works. Also repoted was six major fires, which included many mobile homes that were totally charred.
For now, the Napa High School has been converted into a shelter to provide homes to the needy.
Napa city officials have confirmed that more than 100 gas leaks and downed power lines have come up. Many of the historic buildings in the downtown faced damage and closet to 15,000 people lost power.
More than 15,000 people are known to have faced severe shaking, while more than 176,000 had experienced strong shaking.
The aftershocks were reported soon, and five have been recording, with the strongest one being of 3.6 magnitude.