Powerful Central California Quake Kills Two People

PASO ROBLES, California, December 22, 2003 (ENS) - At least two people have died in a strong earthquake that shook Central California at 11:15 this morning. The quake was measured at magnitude 6.5 and occurred at a depth of five miles below the Earth's surface, according to the the U.S. Geological Survey.

Buildings cracked and crumbled in the normally quiet, old, mission town of Paso Robles, where two women died in the biggest earthquake ever to hit the area.

The clock tower atop the downtown's landmark building, the Mastagni Building, fell into the street killing Jennifer Myrick, 19, of Atascadero, and Marilyn Zafuto, 55, of Paso Robles.

The deadly clock tower collapse in downtown Paso Robles (Photo by Wesley King courtesy PasoClick)

The quake's effects were felt from San Francisco to the north to Los Angeles in the south. In San Francisco, the quake rocked the 20 story federal courthouse, its upper floors swaying for about 30 seconds. Los Angeles residents said they felt a sustained rolling motion.

The temblor was centered near San Simeon, a remote coastal town midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco which is the site of Hearst Castle, a popular tourist attraction. About 350 visitors were evacuated from the castle, but officials with the State Department of Parks and Recration said no one was injured.

Elsewhere in the area, several workers at the Wildhorse Winery near Paso Robles were hurt when wine barrels toppled over.

Some 75,000 people along the central California coast were left without electricity as power poles toppled and transformers blew. National Energy and Gas Transmission said the quake caused a shutdown of the company's natural gas fired La Paloma power plant in McKittrick, some 80 miles east of San Simeon.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s giant Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant operated normally through the quake which was centered less than 40 miles north of the power plant.

PG&E said an "unusual event" was declared at 11:22 am because the earthquake was felt by control room personnel and because it also registered on plant seismic monitors. This is the lowest level in the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission's alert program, indicating there was no perceived threat to public safety.

Both Diablo Canyon units are still operating normally as operators are inspecting the rest of the plant to assure there is no damage.

Jim Zimmerlin, who works for PG&E at the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, said, "Diablo Canyon was designed with even stronger earthquakes than this in mind. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find a safer place to ride out an earthquake than inside the Diablo Canyon power plant."

More than 30 aftershocks were reported in the hour after the quake, with the strongest measuring about 4.7.

More aftershocks are expected during the next several days according to U.S. Geological Survey officials, with some aftershocks forecast to be larger than Monday's main quake.

The location of the earthquake is in a region with a history of frequent small and moderate shocks. The largest historical earthquake in the vicinity of today's earthquake was the magnitude 6.2 Bryson earthquake of November 1952.