A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Northern California on Wednesday morning, shaking communities across a wide area of the state and causing power outages in parts of Mendocino County.

The earthquake occurred at about 8:10 a.m. local time and was centered roughly 7 miles north of Redwood Valley, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Residents reported feeling the shaking across a broad region stretching from the North Coast to the Sacramento Valley.

The USGS received reports from people in communities as far north as Eureka and as far southeast as Sacramento, indicating the quake was felt hundreds of miles from its epicenter.

People closest to the quake's center described the shaking as particularly intense, according to reports submitted to the agency.

The quake also disrupted electrical service in parts of Mendocino County.

More than 7,000 homes and businesses were without power Wednesday morning, according to PowerOutage.com, a website that tracks utility outages nationwide.

Some injuries were reported in Mendocino County.

The temblor triggered alerts through the federal ShakeAlert earthquake early-warning system, which is operated by the U.S. Geological Survey.

The system detects earthquakes shortly after they begin and can send warnings to mobile devices before strong shaking arrives in some locations.

Residents throughout Northern California and into neighboring Oregon reported receiving alerts on their phones through ShakeAlert and the MyShake smartphone application, which uses data from the warning network.

Earthquakes are common in California, which sits atop several active fault systems, including the San Andreas Fault and numerous smaller faults throughout the state.

While many quakes are too small to be widely felt, moderate events can rattle large areas and occasionally cause damage.

Emergency officials urged residents to remain alert for possible aftershocks, which frequently follow earthquakes and can occur minutes, hours, or even days after the initial event.

The USGS continued monitoring seismic activity in the region Wednesday and encouraged residents to report their experiences through its online "Did You Feel It?" system, which helps scientists assess the intensity and geographic reach of an earthquake.