how bad was the earthquake in california

The earthquake in California appears to have been moderate rather than catastrophic: the latest report I found says a magnitude 5.6 quake hit Mendocino County near Redwood Valley, with no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

What that means

• A 5.6 quake can be strongly felt and may knock items off shelves, crack plaster, or briefly interrupt power.
• It is usually far less destructive than the major California quakes that cause widespread damage, serious injuries, or deaths.
• In this case, officials were still assessing impacts, but early reporting pointed to limited effects.

Bigger picture

California does have a history of much stronger damaging quakes, including events at magnitude 6.5 or higher and several major disasters in the state’s earthquake record.

If you mean a specific California earthquake, I can pin down how bad that one was by location, magnitude, and damage.