Magnitude 5.6 earthquake shakes Northern California, hitting Mendocino County

A magnitude 5.6 earthquake hit Mendocino County on Wednesday morning, knocking out electricity and shaking a wide swath of Northern California, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing local authorities.

The quake occurred at 8:10 a.m. and was strong enough to knock items off shelves and out of cupboards, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. said that somewhere between hundreds to thousands of customers were without power.

“The quake was felt far and wide — from Humboldt County in the north to Sonoma County in the south,” state Sen. Mike McGuire, a North Coast Democrat, said on social media. “Supplies and items are off the shelves in stores throughout the region. A lot of pictures off the walls in homes.”

There were no early reports of major damage to the highways or other major public infrastructure in Willits or Ukiah, such as to hospitals, the water and sewage systems and other public facilities, McGuire said.

Several aftershocks, of up to magnitude 2.7, were reported within an hour of the main earthquake.

“Strong” shaking, as defined by the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale, was felt in the city of Willits, northwest of Ukiah, according to the USGS. In general, that intensity is frightening and strong enough to be felt by everyone.

Roughly 60,000 to 70,000 people are estimated to have felt “moderate,” “strong” or “very strong” shaking, the USGS said.

The epicenter was about seven miles southeast of Willits, 15 miles north of Ukiah, 30 miles southeast of Fort Bragg, 70 miles northwest of Santa Rosa, 90 miles northwest of Napa and 116 miles northwest of San Francisco.

The USGS’ earthquake early warning system was activated, reaching cellphones in the San Francisco Bay Area. The system initially calculated that a magnitude 6 earthquake had occurred.