Published on : Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Southern California suffered its strongest earthquake in 25 years on Sunday. At least 120 people were treated at Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa, hospital officials told Media. Only a handful of patients needed to be hospitalized.
Six of those people suffered critical injuries, including the child hurt by the fireplace, who was flown to U.C. Davis Medical Center for further treatment, said hospital president Walt Mickens. The child was in stable condition.
A state of emergency remained in effect following the South Napa Earthquake, which struck about 3:20 a.m. local time Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake caught many people sound asleep, sending dressers, mirrors and pictures crashing down around them.
Damage from the earthquake could reach $1 billion, according to EQECAT, a company that studies catastrophe risk.
That damage estimate is expected to rise because the Napa Valley wine harvest has already begun, EQECAT predicted.
The earthquake’s epicenter was located about six miles south-southwest of Napa, California, and 51 miles west-southwest of the state capital, Sacramento. Officials have variously referred to the earthquake’s magnitude as 6.0 and 6.1. The earthquake was the largest one to shake the Bay Area since the 1989 6.9-magnitude Loma Prieta Earthquake. Dozens of aftershocks followed.
Residents remained worried about the potential for further aftershocks. Many people stayed outside Sunday night, not wanting to go into their homes for fear of a follow-up tremor.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company initially showed more than 15,000 customers without power, primarily in Napa, Sonoma and Santa Rosa Counties.
Several buildings in Napa were damaged or on fire in the wake of the earthquake. At least 15 buildings will need to be inspected or repaired before they can be occupied again, Napa City Manager Mike Parness said.
Fires also flared in a mobile home park where four homes were destroyed and two others were damaged, officials said.
Firefighters received more than 100 calls from people who smelled natural gas, said John Callanan of the Napa Valley Fire Department.
“Our resources are exhausted as far as quantity of on-duty personnel,” he said.
Dozens of water main leaks were reported, although city officials said the water was safe to drink. The earthquake’s impact was especially powerful on the region’s wine industry, with vineyards reporting busted barrels and smashed bottles. Andrew Brooks at Bouchaine Vineyards says the damage was costly.
Tags: quake, South California
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