5.4-magnitude earthquake strikes Northern California; second in less than 2 weeks

Jan. 1 (UPI) -- A 5.4-magnitude earthquake struck Northern California Sunday morning in an area where one struck less than two weeks ago, according to the US Geological Survey.

The quake hit at 11:35 a.m. PDT about 30 miles south of Eureka and about 9 miles southeast of Rio Dell, USGS said. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 17.3 miles, according to preliminary information from the agency.

The office of California Gov. Gavin Newsom said they were monitoring the situation and were working with local officials on assessing the extent of the damage.

"Stay safe -- check gas and water lines for damages or leaks, prepare for aftershocks and remember to drop, cover and hold on," his office tweeted.

KGO-TV in San Francisco posted surveillance video from inside the polcie department when the earthquake hit.

A 6.4 earthquake struck the region on Dec. 20, killing two people.

Rio Dell, with a population of 3,367, is 267.5 miles north of Sacramento.

"It was crazy. The earthquake felt more violent this time," Rio Dell Mayi Garnes told CNN. "It was shorter, but more violent. My refrigerator moved 2 feet. Things came out of the refrigerator. There's a crack in my wall from the violence of it."

In the earlier quake, Garnes said 27 homes were red-tagged, meaning they were unsafe due to damage . Another 73 homes were yellow-tagged in Rio Dell.