5.4 magnitude earthquake hits Northern California 

A 5.4 magnitude earthquake hit Northern California on Sunday, making the second quake felt in less than two weeks, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). 

The earthquake occurred at 10:35 a.m., about 30 miles south of Eureka, with its center about 9 miles southeast of Rio Dell, according to USGS. It had a depth of about 17.3 miles, according to preliminary data. 

“It was crazy. The earthquake felt more violent this time,” Rio Dell Mayor Debra Garnes told CNN. “It was shorter, but more violent. My refrigerator moved two feet. Things came out of the refrigerator. There’s a crack in my wall from the violence of it.”

Sunday’s earthquake is the second one to strike the region in two weeks. On December 20, a 6.4 earthquake left thousands without power, two dead, and dozens injured. Additionally, at least 27 were deemed unsafe due to damage from the quake, leaving families homeless for the holidays.

The quake hit at around 2:30 a.m. PST, centered about 215 miles (350 km) north of San Francisco. At least three dozen aftershocks followed the quake, most with a magnitude between 4.6 and 2.5, according to USGS.

In Rio Dell, at least 30% of the city’s water remains shut down and pockets of neighborhoods do not have power. The earthquake also left a 35-foot crack in the town’s main road. 

It is unclear how many structures were affected during Sunday’s quake. However, Garnes said that some of the buildings that had been damaged in the December earthquake sustained additional damages and will have to be torn down.