By Neha Vachhani
Columnist
Although Californians are accustomed to the shaky rumble of frequent earthquakes, just this past Sunday, residents of Napa County awoke to an earthquake with an initial magnitude of 6.0. The earthquake struck around 3:15 a.m. and set off a multitude of car alarms as well as kickstarted widespread power outages in the Bay Area. In addition to power outages, dozens of people were reported with injuries. The Valley Medical Center in Napa has reported at least 70 people were being treated for concussions, bruises and injuries of the like due to the earthquake.
The earthquake was the largest in the Bay Area since the 6.9 Loma Prieta in 1989. The quake also sparked a fire at a mobile home park in Napa and has caused a great deal of damage to buildings in the area. Four homes have been destroyed, and firefighters were struggling to put out the blaze because of a broken water main. In addition to frequent earthquakes, residents of California are used to the sight of flames most often resulting from a drought or forest fire. Downtown Napa has been ridden with damage consisting of bricks, glass and other building debris littering the streets of the town.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the depth of the earthquake was a little less than seven miles, and the initial strike was followed by numerous aftershocks, ranging in magnitude but never exceeding 3.6. There is a certain level of fear that builds within the townsfolk as they feel the shaking of the quake, whether they witness food flying off the shelves at a grocery store or are literally shaken awake by the powerful natural disaster. Despite the resulting damages and injuries, California residents are grateful that there weren’t worse casualties. Power lines throughout nearby towns have been reported down, but major bridges and buildings in the Bay Area went untouched.
The 6.0 earthquake that many Californians were forced to endure is now over and the aftermath is substantial, but not irreparable. Residents are taking this in stride and are looking on the bright side as they approach the start of a full recovery.
