Thirty-two young Church members in Northern California spent Sunday morning in worship and Sunday afternoon in service on April 26, assisting victims of three earthquakes that hit the North Coast that weekend.

The quakes occurred just three days after an earthquake shook the Palm Springs area in Southern California. No injuries were reported to Church members in either the April 22 or April 25-26 quakes.In Northern California, Latter-day Saints were among residents who suffered damage to homes and businesses, said Bishop Kevin R. Hamblin of the Arcata Ward, Eureka California Stake.

Bishop Hamblin said the first North Coast quake struck at 11:06 a.m. April 25, measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale. (A quake of magnitude 6 can cause severe damage, and magnitude 7 denotes a major earthquake capable of widespread, heavy damage.)

Described as the largest earthquake to hit the North Coast in more than a decade, it caused extensive damage to the communities of Ferndale, Petrolia, Scotia, Rio Dell and Fortuna.

"If that weren't enough, two more earthquakes hit the same area within 24 hours late Saturday night and early Sunday morning," Bishop Hamblin said. "The second and third quakes measured 6.3 and 6.5 on the Richter scale respectively. The additional earthquakes were of such a magnitude that they were not considered to be aftershocks of the first quake, but independent seismic events."

He said Fortuna Ward members, who live in communities nearest the epicenter of the three quakes, reported moderate to extensive damage to homes and businesses.

"Gary and Merilyn Ross, who owned a pharmacy in Scotia, lost their business when a fire caused by the earthquakes destroyed the business district," he said, describing Scotia as a small logging community.

"Ken and Lynette Beard of the Fortuna Ward had to evacuate their home after it slipped off its foundation. Many other Church members evacuated their homes and stayed with relatives out of the area or camped in their front yards.

"Bishop Ron Jones of the Fortuna Ward indicated that several Church members had requested assistance in cleanup efforts after their homes had been trashed by the three earthquakes."

After Sunday morning meetings, the 32 young men and young women and their leaders from the Arcata Ward, 25 miles north of the area most affected by the earthquakes, donned work clothes and traveled to Rio Dell to assist members to clean up, Bishop Hamblin said.

"The youth group, having just returned the day before from a trip to the Oakland Temple, brought in emergency food and drinking water for the victims," he said. "Armed with electric generators, vacuum cleaners and cleaning materials, the youth group cleaned and put in order several homes of Church members and non-members alike."

Cari Cannon, public affairs director in the Fortuna Ward and Miranda Branch, said the young people cleaned up as many Church members' homes as they could reach, then began knocking on doors, offering their assistance to any residents who needed it.

"They were met at the end of the street by Red Cross workers, and the youth helped them gather up grills and supplies so they could feed the residents of Rio Dell," she said. "From there, they went to the elementary school and cleaned up 10 classrooms and the library."

Bishop Hamblin said the group returned home in time to attend a missionary fireside.

Regarding the April 22 earthquake in Southern California, Pres. Craig E. Zundel of the Palm Springs California Stake, said no Church members reported injuries or property damage. The epicenter of the quake, measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale, was about nine miles east of Desert Hot Springs, in an area less populous than that hit by the weekend quakes in Northern California.