Update: 6.2 Quake In Northern California

Northern California is hit by 6.2 earthquake that shattered windows and sent frightened locals fleeing outdoors: Sheriff says tremor was strongest he's felt since 2010

ALASTAIR TALBOT

• A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck the Northern California coast on Monday, causing shaking but likely minimal damage to the sparsely populated area
• Residents in San Francisco and and as far north as Medford, Oregon could feel the earthquake
• No injuries or evacuations were immediately reported after the quake struck at 12:10 p.m. local time
• The U.S. Geological Survey estimates economic losses of less than $10 million
• The quake in Humboldt county occurred after more than 40 tremors from magnitude 3.5 to 5.8 struck the coast of Oregon earlier this month

A 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck offshore in the Cape Mendocino area of Northern California, the United States Geological Service said on Monday, shattering windows and sending those affected rushing outdoors.

The quake struck at a depth of 9 km (5.6 miles) in the Pacific Ocean about 24 miles (39 km) west of the tiny community of Petrolia along the rocky wilderness of California's Lost Coast region in Humboldt County. 

It could be felt as far south as San Francisco and as far north as Medford, Oregon.

‘It was slow rolling at first, but then it really got going,’ Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal told CNN. ‘We haven’t had a shake like this since 2010.’ 

The quake did not trigger a tsunami warning because of the nature of the fault system from which it came, seismologist Lucy Jones posted on Twitter.

No injuries were immediately reported after the quake struck at 12:10 p.m. local time, Humboldt County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Samantha Karges, said in an email to Reuters. 

Some buildings had minor damage including broken glass, with the contents of supermarket shelves also sent flying, but no evacuations were ordered in the sparsely populated region. Local journalist Caroline Titus, who resides in Ferndale, California, shared photos of the damage in her town on Twitter.

Workers and crews were deployed to check for damage to roadways, and two roads were closed due to rockslides caused by the shaking, Karges said.

The U.S. Geological Survey estimates economic losses of less than $10 million.

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