Sacramento, CA…Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency for Humboldt County to support the emergency response to today’s 6.4 magnitude earthquake near the City of Ferndale. The earthquake has resulted in two fatalities and injured multiple people, caused power outages and damaged roads, bridges, buildings and critical infrastructure including water lines and gas lines.

The Governor issued a statement on the emergency response to the earthquake earlier today, including the activation of the State Operations Center to coordinate with local and tribal governments and provide any needed resources such as shelter, food and water, and aid in damage assessments of buildings and roadways. The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services is working with local utilities to rapidly restore power.The emergency proclamation enables Humboldt County to access resources under the California Disaster Assistance Act, directs Caltrans to formally request immediate assistance through the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief Program and supports impacted residents by easing access to unemployment benefits and waiving fees to replace records such as marriage and birth certificates, among other provisions.

The text of today’s emergency proclamation can be found here.

The Governor has also directed state agencies and departments to take appropriate action as necessary to provide support to local communities, including the California Department of Transportation to ensure the safety of roadways, the California Highway Patrol to protect public safety, the California Department of Public Health and Emergency Medical Services Authority to aid local hospitals, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to help address any possible additional emergencies and the California Geological Survey for continued earthquake monitoring.

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