California Rocked by Earthquake

A 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Northern California Saturday afternoon, shaking buildings south of the Oregon border and knocking out power in several coastal communities. The powerful quake hit at about 4:27 p.m. PST about 22 miles from Ferndale. No major injuries have been reported, but power outages are widespread, affecting about 25,000 customers. Property damage will probably take several days or more to assess.

Eight aftershocks followed in the three hours after the quake, the biggest registering at a magnitude of 4.5. The quake was felt as far south as Capitola in central California. The area is about 270 miles north of San Francisco in a coastal area known for periodic earthquakes.

There is a small chance of another magnitude 6.5 tremor or larger hitting the area over the next week, but the odds dramatically decrease as time passes, the US Geological Survey said. There's also a 78 percent chance of a strong and potentially damaging aftershock magnitude-5 or larger over the same period.