A car lies under a pile of rubble from a damaged building. Downtown Napa was hardest hit by the 6.1 magnitude quake that struck Northern California on Sunday. Photo: Bloomberg
Northern California is just coming to grips with the strongest earthquake in 25 years, with first reports describing the damage as “fairly significant”.
The 6.1 magnitude quake struck six miles southwest of Napa, California’s famed wine country, before dawn on Sunday.
The downtown area in Napa was hardest hit, particularly old buildings, and the earthquake triggered six fires that razed several mobile homes, CNN reports, citing Napa fire chief John Callanan. The city has set up a temporary shelter.
Some historic buildings have been severely damaged and at least 15,000 houses and businesses in and around Sonoma, Napa, and Santa Rosa lost power, according to Pacific Gas and Electric Co.
All but six of the injured were treated and released from Queen of the Valley Hospital. They mostly suffered bruises and lacerations, according to the report. Among them was a young child.
A CNN reporter said anything and everything that could fall, did.
“Everything and everyone in Napa was affected by the quake. My house, along with everybody else’s, is a disaster. It looks like somebody broke in and ravaged the place, room by room,” said Malissa Koven, who was awakened by the shaking at about 3:20 a.m.
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