A 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck Eureka at around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, leaving much of the city without power and police scanners buzzing with reports of damage and injuries.

The quake, which lasted for around 30 seconds, had power poles waving back and forth along Eureka streets and brought panicked residents out of their homes.

The Bayshore Mall, as of 5:30 p.m., had been closed off to customers and employees. It was unclear how many people were injured there, but one employee reported that several people were picked up by ambulances.

Employees also reported light fixtures falling out of the ceiling and floor tiles popping up off the ground. Another employee reported seeing chunks of the ceiling fall onto customers...


Probability Report (click here)

Published January 10, 2010 @ 12:27:39 GMT

MAINSHOCK

 Magnitude   :   6.5 Mw  (A strong quake)
Time        :   09 Jan 2010   04:27:39 PM, PST
      :   10 Jan 2010   24:27:39 GMT
Coordinates :   40 deg. 39.12 min. N, 124 deg. 41.55 min. W
      :   40.6520 N, 124.6925 W
Depth       :    18.2 miles ( 29.3 km)
Quality     :   Excellent
Location    :    23 mi. ( 37 km) WNW from Ferndale, CA
      :    29 mi. ( 47 km) WSW from Eureka, CA
Event ID    :   NC 71338066

STRONG AFTERSHOCKS (Magnitude 5 and larger) -

At this time (12 hours after the mainshock) the probability of a strong and possibly damaging aftershock IN THE NEXT 7 DAYS is approximately 71 PERCENT

EARTHQUAKES LARGER THAN THE MAINSHOCK -

Most likely, the recent mainshock will be the largest in the sequence. However, there is a small chance (APPROXIMATELY 5 TO 10 PERCENT) of an earthquake equal to or larger than this mainshock in the next 7 days.

WEAK AFTERSHOCKS (Magnitude 3 to 5) -

In addition, approximately 60 to 100 SMALL AFTERSHOCKS are expected in the same 7-DAY PERIOD and may be felt locally.

This probability report is based on the statistics of aftershocks typical for California. This is not an exact prediction, but only a rough guide to expected aftershock activity. This probability report may be revised as more information becomes available.