Gov. Newsom Declares State Of Emergency In Humboldt County Over Earthquake

Governor Gavin Newsom declared a State of Emergency in Humboldt County on Tuesday, only hours after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake occurred outside of Ferndale in Northern California.

The earthquake itself struck at 2:34 A.M. on Tuesday, with the epicenter outside the small town of Ferndale. As of Wednesday morning, a total of two people have died in the earthquake, with a further 12 being reported as injured. Around 100 people have so far been displaced due to damaged homes, with PG&E reporting that 60,000 were without power after the quake. Earthquake warning systems also alerted people as far North as Medford, Oregon and as far South as San Jose to possible aftershocks in the coming days.

“I remember it woke me up that morning, and I thought, at first a car had hit my house,”  Thomas Waters, a Humboldt County resident, told the Globe on Wednesday. “Then I heard all of my electronics power down, and I realized it was an earthquake. It wasn’t the big one, but I’m staying with a friend right now because it’s winter now and you need electricity to keep warm. Strange thing is that the earthquake wasn’t shocking or anything, just more of an annoyance.”

State and federal agencies quickly descended on Humboldt County on Tuesday and Wednesday, helping those affected in the region, checking for infrastructure damage, and generally helping out until services are restored.

In his first statement after the earthquake on Tuesday, Governor Newsom noted that “Jennifer and I send our heartfelt condolences to the families grieving the loss of loved ones and offer our best wishes for the recovery of those who were injured in this earthquake. California stands with the people of Humboldt County and the state has moved quickly to support the emergency response underway with local and tribal partners. I thank all of the women and men who have mobilized to protect public safety and support the community at this challenging time.”

However, as the extent of the earthquake became better known throughout Tuesday, Governor Newsom declared a State of Emergency later that day due to significant infrastructure damage and local need for basic services.

“I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the State Constitution and statutes, including the California Emergency Services Act, and in particular, Government Code section 8625, HEREBY PROCLAIM A STATE OF EMERGENCY to exist in Humboldt County,” added Newsom in his State of Emergency Declaration.

Political commentators noted on Wednesday that unlike more recent State of Emergency declarations, the Humboldt Earthquake declaration is one pretty much every Californian could get behind.

“Newsom did right by this one,” explained Kim Franklin, a natural disaster response researcher, to the Globe. “Earthquakes can hit at any time in California, so everyone in the state is generally supportive of assistance efforts. After all, it could be the area you’re in that could be hit next, or the next big one that can happen at any time. So getting a state of emergency declared to bring extra help there? Not controversial.”

As of Wednesday, it is unknown for how long the state of Emergency for Humboldt County is to be in effect for.