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California earthquake: Power 'restored to most' after 7.1-magnitude quake | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
A 7.1 magnitude earthquake has rattled parts of Southern California, the biggest tremor to strike in 20 years. | A 7.1 magnitude earthquake has rattled parts of Southern California, the biggest tremor to strike in 20 years. |
It struck at the shallow depth of 0.9km (0.6 miles) and its epicentre was near the city of Ridgecrest, about 240km north-east of Los Angeles. | It struck at the shallow depth of 0.9km (0.6 miles) and its epicentre was near the city of Ridgecrest, about 240km north-east of Los Angeles. |
A 6.4-magnitude quake hit the same area on Thursday at a depth of nearly 11km. | A 6.4-magnitude quake hit the same area on Thursday at a depth of nearly 11km. |
Emergency officials say the damage is not as bad as they initially feared, with power restored to most who had lost it and food stores trading again. | |
All of the roads that were damaged by the quake have also now been reopened, they say, but add that crews are still assessing the aftermath. | |
It's thought about 3,000 people in Ridgecrest and the surrounding area were left without power. | |
California Governor Gavin Newsom offered his "heartfelt support" to all those affected, and requested a Presidential Emergency Declaration and federal aid to help. | |
He later added that there were a number of "minor to moderate level" injuries, and said there were "no reports of any fatalities, so I think we're very lucky there". | |
Seismologist Dr Lucy Jones said the quakes could continue. "This is an earthquake sequence," she said at a press conference. "It will be ongoing." | Seismologist Dr Lucy Jones said the quakes could continue. "This is an earthquake sequence," she said at a press conference. "It will be ongoing." |
"Every earthquake makes another earthquake more likely," she added, saying there was a 10% chance of a similar or even larger quake following in the next week. | "Every earthquake makes another earthquake more likely," she added, saying there was a 10% chance of a similar or even larger quake following in the next week. |
However, Dr Jones said it was not likely the quake would trigger shocks on other fault lines. | However, Dr Jones said it was not likely the quake would trigger shocks on other fault lines. |
The earthquake was felt as far away as Las Vegas in the neighbouring state of Nevada and over the border in Mexico. | The earthquake was felt as far away as Las Vegas in the neighbouring state of Nevada and over the border in Mexico. |
What happened afterwards? | |
Fires broke out and emergency services were dispatched across the state to deal with calls after the quake. | |
"We've got fires, we've got gas leaks, we've got injuries, we've got people without power," Ridgecrest Mayor Peggy Breeden told Reuters news agency. "We're dealing with it as best we can." | "We've got fires, we've got gas leaks, we've got injuries, we've got people without power," Ridgecrest Mayor Peggy Breeden told Reuters news agency. "We're dealing with it as best we can." |
The San Bernardino County Fire Department said reports suggested "damage is more significant than yesterday's quake", referring to Thursday's earthquake, and said they were tackling blazes and gas leaks. | |
"It was bad. Man. It hasn't stopped yet," local resident Jeremiah Jones told the Los Angeles Times. | "It was bad. Man. It hasn't stopped yet," local resident Jeremiah Jones told the Los Angeles Times. |
Thursday's event had already wrecked some homes in the region. | |
The Los Angeles Fire Department however said nobody had been killed or injured in that quake either. A statement after the latest quake said the authorities had seen "no major infrastructure damage" after a survey of the city. | |
Crowds at a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball game were seen leaving their seats when the quake struck, although the players themselves continued playing. | Crowds at a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball game were seen leaving their seats when the quake struck, although the players themselves continued playing. |
A US Navy weapons testing station near Ridgecrest was also affected. | A US Navy weapons testing station near Ridgecrest was also affected. |
NAWS China Lake - the Navy's single largest landholding, covering an area larger than the state of Rhode Island - announced on Facebook it is "not mission capable until further notice", without providing details. | NAWS China Lake - the Navy's single largest landholding, covering an area larger than the state of Rhode Island - announced on Facebook it is "not mission capable until further notice", without providing details. |
In Las Vegas, a basketball match between the New York Knicks and the New Orleans Pelicans was abandoned because of the tremors. | In Las Vegas, a basketball match between the New York Knicks and the New Orleans Pelicans was abandoned because of the tremors. |
LA Mayor Eric Garcetti said he was sending a task force to Kern County "to help with the damage closer to the epicenter". | LA Mayor Eric Garcetti said he was sending a task force to Kern County "to help with the damage closer to the epicenter". |
What do we know about the new quake? | What do we know about the new quake? |
It hit at 20:19 local time on Friday (04:19 BST Saturday), the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. | It hit at 20:19 local time on Friday (04:19 BST Saturday), the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. |
After Thursday's event, seismologists had been warning that aftershocks could continue for a prolonged period of time. | After Thursday's event, seismologists had been warning that aftershocks could continue for a prolonged period of time. |
Ridgecrest resident Jessica Kormelink told AFP news agency the ground would stop shaking briefly before "rolling again". | Ridgecrest resident Jessica Kormelink told AFP news agency the ground would stop shaking briefly before "rolling again". |
"I'm not comfortable inside," she said. | "I'm not comfortable inside," she said. |
California is prone to earthquakes as it lies on a number of faults - regions where tectonic plates come together. | California is prone to earthquakes as it lies on a number of faults - regions where tectonic plates come together. |
Dr Jones told the Los Angeles Times this fault could be up to 30 miles long. | Dr Jones told the Los Angeles Times this fault could be up to 30 miles long. |
"The fault is growing," she said. "We ruptured a piece in the first earthquake... and we've ruptured more now." | "The fault is growing," she said. "We ruptured a piece in the first earthquake... and we've ruptured more now." |
The San Andreas Fault is the largest, extending about 1,200km through the state. | The San Andreas Fault is the largest, extending about 1,200km through the state. |
But Dr Jones said this quake was in a distant fault system, and was unlikely to trigger a quake along the San Andreas Fault. | But Dr Jones said this quake was in a distant fault system, and was unlikely to trigger a quake along the San Andreas Fault. |
Quake raises fears of 'the Big One' | Quake raises fears of 'the Big One' |
By Peter Bowes in Los Angeles | By Peter Bowes in Los Angeles |
Californians are on permanent alert for the 'Big One', a catastrophic earthquake that seismologists say is well overdue. | Californians are on permanent alert for the 'Big One', a catastrophic earthquake that seismologists say is well overdue. |
This latest series of quakes has caused relatively minor damage - that we are currently aware of - but they have rattled nerves, big time. | This latest series of quakes has caused relatively minor damage - that we are currently aware of - but they have rattled nerves, big time. |
The latest was felt as far afield as Las Vegas in Nevada, Palm Springs to the east of Los Angeles, and Beverly Hills. | The latest was felt as far afield as Las Vegas in Nevada, Palm Springs to the east of Los Angeles, and Beverly Hills. |
With a baseball game in progress at Dodger Stadium, in downtown LA, people fled from their seats as the building started to shake - although the players, apparently oblivious to what was happening, continued with the game. | With a baseball game in progress at Dodger Stadium, in downtown LA, people fled from their seats as the building started to shake - although the players, apparently oblivious to what was happening, continued with the game. |
This event serves as a wakeup call to residents of densely populated areas, like Los Angeles, that it is only a matter of time before the mighty San Andreas fault blows. A magnitude of 7.0 or higher in Los Angeles would likely cause widespread death and destruction. | This event serves as a wakeup call to residents of densely populated areas, like Los Angeles, that it is only a matter of time before the mighty San Andreas fault blows. A magnitude of 7.0 or higher in Los Angeles would likely cause widespread death and destruction. |
Are you in southern California and have experienced the earthquake? You can email your story to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in southern California and have experienced the earthquake? You can email your story to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
Or use the form below | Or use the form below |