MENDOCINO CO., 6/24/26 — More than 4,000 remained without power Wednesday afternoon across northern Mendocino County after an earthquake struck near Redwood Valley in the morning.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the 5.6-magnitude quake struck at 8:10 a.m. about 7 miles north of Redwood Valley. The earthquake was about 5 miles in depth and there was a 2.5-magnitude aftershock several minutes later.
Laytonville, Leggett and Covelo were out of power after the shaker, including Willits.
With power out across Willits following the quake, all the stoplights in town are flashing red to become all-way stops, gas stations are closed as well as many businesses, including Safeway.
Willits Mayor Tom Allman said PG&E told him that power should be restored in the Little Lake Valley around 6 p.m., which includes Willits. Allman said he had received reports that some Willits residents had power restored before 4 p.m.
On Wednesday morning, earthquake alerts were sent to people as far away as the Bay Area because of the shaking, which lasted about 30 seconds. The quake was strong enough to cause pictures and objects to fall off walls and shelves in Redwood Valley.
Despite having a generator, Earth’s Treasures in Willits could not stay open Wednesday as the gift shop across from Safeway had extensive damage to its inventory that was strewn across the floor around the shop.
The owner, Omaya Sisemore, said it was the worst earthquake damage her shop had ever had in 30 years of business.
“No words I think can describe the damage,” Sisemore said. “We walked in, we realized the devastation.”
The earthquake also caused the Mendocino County Superior Courthouse in Ukiah to pause proceedings and evacuate until the building could be inspected by county maintenance.
While waiting for the all-clear to return to the building, about two dozen courthouse workers gathered in Alex Thomas Plaza for about half an hour. After county maintenance came by and cleared the building at 9:30 a.m., the workers shuffled back into the courthouse, allowing work to resume.
Sisemore said several times that she was “overwhelmed” by the damage to her shop, and that in the past, earthquakes have only ever knocked up to a few items off shelves.