Deadly California earthquake leaves thousands without power

BBC News:

Two people have died and tens of thousands of households were left without power after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake rocked northern California.

The tremor, 215 miles (350km) north of San Francisco, has caused widespread damage to roadways.

“Anything that was on the walls broke off the walls,” said JB Mathers, a resident of the coastal city of Eureka.

Authorities have closed several roads and warned the public to brace for aftershocks.

The quake struck at 02:34 PST (10:34 GMT) on Tuesday. It spawned up to 80 smaller quakes between magnitude 4.6 and 2.5, according to the US Geological Survey.

Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office said that 11 people had been injured, in addition to the two that died.

The tremor ruptured gas lines, causing leaks. One building caught fire and was quickly extinguished, while two other buildings collapsed.