Residents describe intense 5.6 NorCal quake that caused damage, injuries in Mendocino County
WILLITS, Calif. (KGO) -- A magnitude 5.6 earthquake rattled Mendocino County on Wednesday morning, shaking communities across the region and causing scattered damage.
The quake struck just after 8 a.m. and was centered between Ukiah and Willits. There were over a dozen aftershocks recorded, but most were under 2.5 magnitude.
The Mendocino County Executive Office said Wednesday that there were some injuries, but no deaths.
Heather Rose, a Mendocino County spokesperson, said that hospitals had reported some injuries but that she had no details on their nature or extent. She said officials planned to meet later Wednesday.
RELATED: Why Bay Area residents received alerts for Mendocino quake despite feeling minimal shaking
Reports quickly surfaced of damage, including bottles of wine falling off shelves, broken windows and cracks in buildings.
While earthquakes of this size typically do not cause widespread destruction, residents said the shaking felt stronger than expected. In Willits, just north of the epicenter, some described it as the most intense quake they had experienced.
Surveillance video from Mariposa Market captured the moment shelves, fully stocked at opening time, were violently shaken for several seconds.
"It was like the store was turned upside down, it was a big mess," said Mark Adley, manager of Mariposa Market.
Video received by ABC7 Eyewitness News shows the moment the earthquake hit inside a Lake County grocery store, with strong shaking causing items to fall inside.
Residents described a combination of rolling and jolting motion.
Photos from a Willits resident show plates and cans knocked to the ground, while a heavy speaker was seen shifting nearly off a ledge.
Courtney Hernandez said the experience was frightening.
"It was insane, I didn't know what was going on at first, and we just kind of stood there and then the floors rolled, the walls shook, and I just yelled at the kids to take cover," Hernandez said.
Ana Sanchez, manager of Willits Market, said the quake disrupted homes and businesses alike.
"It shook everything in our house, like stuff everywhere, things were falling off of people's houses," Sanchez said.
Businesses across the region spent much of the day cleaning up. At George's Geodes and Gems, fallen merchandise shattered a front window.
"It felt like I was having a stroke cause I was bending down to check something on the ground and the whole place was going like that and all the trees were like in a typhoon, circular. It was really strong," said George McBride.
Power outages, which have since been restored, affected about 8,000 customers after transmission lines were impacted during the quake.
"We had transmission lines from PG&E basically slap together and with the fire prevention steps that PGE has taken, that immediately shuts down transmission lines," said Willits Mayor Tom Allman.
Some businesses, including the local Safeway, closed temporarily as employees assessed damage and cleaned up. Fuel pumps were also shut down pending inspection.
In Redwood Valley, surveillance footage from a local market showed sauces and other items crashing to the floor. The store was forced to close for several hours, with estimated losses around $10,000.
"Oh man, I have never seen something like that before in my store. I have been here for 22 years. I have never seen something like that before. We had it a few months ago, but ti was small. We had it 15 years ago, but not that big, no," said co-owner Alex Chehada.
At homes across the region, residents reported items falling but little major damage. Danny Pardini described a sudden jolt after an initial rolling motion.
"The first part of the quake was kind of a rolling earthquake, kind of a traditional one that we've felt here. But then it suddenly jolted like something slapped the side of the house. It felt the house was just going to slide off the side of the foundation. So that was the part that kind of got my heart racing," Pardini said. "I build houses. I know how they work. first thing I thought, sheered right off all the bolts and slide right off the foundation. I was little bit nerve-racking especially with kids in the house and my wife and everything like that."
The Coyote Valley Casino remained closed Wednesday while crews assessed possible damage.
Residents said the quake served as a reminder of the region's seismic risk, though many were relieved there had been no strong aftershocks.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
MAP: Significant San Francisco Bay Area fault lines and strong earthquakes
Zoom in on the map below and compare where you live to the significant faults and where strong earthquakes have struck in the Bay Area.
Stay with ABC7 News for the latest details on this developing story.
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