Residents in Northern California began cleaning up after the area dodged a catastrophe, escaping a 6.5-magnitude earthquake with little more than bumps, cuts and broken glass.

A POWERFUL offshore earthquake rattled communities in far northern California, cutting power to thousands of customers, causing minor damage to homes and businesses and forcing many people to seek treatment for cuts and bruises from falling debris.

A 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Northern California today, shaking buildings south of the Oregon border and knocking out power in several coastal communities.