http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-quake,0,3896359.story?hpt=T2
HUMBOLDT COUNTY-- An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.0 rattled the coast of Northern California.
The USGS says the quake was located 35-miles west-northwest of the small unincorporated community of Petrolia, California in the Ocean.
Ferndale Police Department Chief Bret Smith told KTLA the earthquake's movement was "gentler" than the magnitude-6.5 quake that struck the same area January 9, 2010.
The quake that hit a month ago left more than $40 million of damage in the area and caused one major injury, according to officials.
Smith said he was on foot patrol and thought, "Oh not again!" when the quake struck.
The temblor didn't last long, however, but the department went into response mode immediately, Smith explained.
There were no initial reports of injuries or damage from Thursday's quake, which struck at 12.20 p.m.
At the Petrolia General Store, a few items tumbled from the shelves, but the windows remained intact.
"Glass bottles were rattling, and you could see the lights swinging back and forth," said Amie Barr, 30, a store employee. "But it didn't feel as strong (as the Jan. 9 quake)."
She added, "We have them all the time, so we're pretty used to it here."
According to Smith, most of the structures have been retrofitted since a powerful quake struck the same region in 1992.
Steve Walter, a seismologist at the USGS in Menlo Park, said Thursday's quake was not an aftershock from Jan. 9 because it occurred on a different fault, but "we could speculate it might have been triggered by the one last month."
Walter said the far-northern coast of California is the most seismically active area, but the potential for damage and injuries there is smaller because it is less populated.
Eureka Fire Chief Eric Smith says crews are checking on structures damaged in the previous earthquakes to make sure they're secure.
HUMBOLDT COUNTY-- An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.0 rattled the coast of Northern California.
The USGS says the quake was located 35-miles west-northwest of the small unincorporated community of Petrolia, California in the Ocean.
Ferndale Police Department Chief Bret Smith told KTLA the earthquake's movement was "gentler" than the magnitude-6.5 quake that struck the same area January 9, 2010.
The quake that hit a month ago left more than $40 million of damage in the area and caused one major injury, according to officials.
Smith said he was on foot patrol and thought, "Oh not again!" when the quake struck.
The temblor didn't last long, however, but the department went into response mode immediately, Smith explained.
There were no initial reports of injuries or damage from Thursday's quake, which struck at 12.20 p.m.
At the Petrolia General Store, a few items tumbled from the shelves, but the windows remained intact.
"Glass bottles were rattling, and you could see the lights swinging back and forth," said Amie Barr, 30, a store employee. "But it didn't feel as strong (as the Jan. 9 quake)."
She added, "We have them all the time, so we're pretty used to it here."
According to Smith, most of the structures have been retrofitted since a powerful quake struck the same region in 1992.
Steve Walter, a seismologist at the USGS in Menlo Park, said Thursday's quake was not an aftershock from Jan. 9 because it occurred on a different fault, but "we could speculate it might have been triggered by the one last month."
Walter said the far-northern coast of California is the most seismically active area, but the potential for damage and injuries there is smaller because it is less populated.
Eureka Fire Chief Eric Smith says crews are checking on structures damaged in the previous earthquakes to make sure they're secure.