Huge Earthquake Rocks Northern California

24 Aug, 2014

A 6.0 magnitude earthquake rocked wine country north of San Francisco early on Sunday, injuring dozens of people, damaging historic buildings, setting some homes on fire and causing power outages around the picturesque town of Napa.

The biggest quake in the region in 25 years jolted many residents out of bed when it hit at 3:20 a.m. (6.20 a.m. ET), centered 6 miles (10 km) south of the City of Napa.

Three people were seriously injured, including a child who suffered multiple fractures after a fireplace fell on him, local fire battalion chief John Callahan said. Six fires broke out, including one that consumed six mobile homes, he said.

Queen of the Valley hospital said it had treated 89 patients.

There were no reports of any fatalities but the quake shook up residents, said Barry Martin, community outreach coordinator for the City of Napa, which has a population of 77,000.

California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency, putting all state resources at the disposal of his Office of Emergency Services.

Most damage appeared centered around Napa, a famous wine-producing region and a major tourist destination in northern California.

Reuters

Image Reuters  STEPHEN LAM

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