 The two aftershocks the following morning were separated by less than four hours and both caused at least as much damage as the mainshock . A large fire was triggered following the first aftershock at a shopping center in Scotia that destroyed four businesses , with the resulting damage at that site alone estimated at $ 15 million , and was the largest individual financial misfortune of the sequence of earthquakes . The water supply in Rio Dell was terminated when the water main was severed at the abutment to the Eel River bridge and power outages were widespread throughout Humboldt County . Some were mere seconds while others lasted for hours , but the hydroelectric plant 's performance at Ruth Reservoir was deemed acceptable , and power that was not generated locally was unaffected . 
