Armenians reported among victims in California quake

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenians were reported among the victims of the magnitude 6.0 earthquake that shook northern California on Sunday, Aug 24, Emergency Situations Ministry reported.

Details and exact number of those afflicted are being clarified.

The toll of injuries in the earthquake that occurred near Napa soared to 170.

Officials in Napa said in a statement that the quake - believed to be the biggest in the region in 25 years - had destroyed four mobile homes and made 16 buildings "uninhabitable", as well as causing "approximately 50" gas main breaks and around 30 leaks from water mains.

Three historic buildings in the town had been hit and two commercial buildings "severely damaged", the statement went on.

By Sunday evening, between 11,000 and 15,000 people were still reported without power, down from 70,000 people in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake.

At least 33 buildings in the city of 77,000 have been "red-tagged", which means that they have been designated as unsafe to enter, Community Development Director Rick Tooker was quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying.