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| California earthquake: Larger 7.1 magnitude quake hits | California earthquake: Larger 7.1 magnitude quake hits |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A 7.1 magnitude earthquake has rattled parts of Southern California, US meteorologists say, in the biggest tremor to strike in two decades. | A 7.1 magnitude earthquake has rattled parts of Southern California, US meteorologists say, in the biggest tremor to strike in two decades. |
| 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 region on Thursday at a depth of nearly 11km. | A 6.4 magnitude quake hit the same region on Thursday at a depth of nearly 11km. |
| Seismologist Dr Lucy Jones said the quakes could continue. | Seismologist Dr Lucy Jones said the quakes could continue. |
| "This is an earthquake sequence," she said at a press conference. "It will be ongoing." | "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. |
| Reports suggest it could be felt as far away as Las Vegas in the neighbouring state of Nevada and over the border in Mexico. | Reports suggest it could be felt as far away as Las Vegas in the neighbouring state of Nevada and over the border in Mexico. |
| California Governor Gavin Newsom offered his "heartfelt support" to all those affected, and has requested a Presidential Emergency Declaration and federal aid to help. | California Governor Gavin Newsom offered his "heartfelt support" to all those affected, and has requested a Presidential Emergency Declaration and federal aid to help. |
| What's the damage? | What's the damage? |
| Fires have broken out and emergency services are responding to calls across the state after the quake. | Fires have broken out and emergency services are responding to calls across the state 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." |
| There have been no reports of serious injuries so far, Police chief Jed McLaughlin said at a press conference. | |
| The San Bernardino County Fire Department said reports suggested "damage is more significant than yesterday's quake", and said they were tackling blazes and gas leaks. | The San Bernardino County Fire Department said reports suggested "damage is more significant than yesterday's quake", and said they were tackling blazes and gas leaks. |
| Officials said it was still unclear how much damage had been caused and how many people had been injured in the state. | Officials said it was still unclear how much damage had been caused and how many people had been injured in the state. |
| "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 wrecked some homes in the region. | Thursday's event wrecked some homes in the region. |
| The Los Angeles Fire Department however said nobody had been killed or injured. A statement after the latest quake said the authorities had seen "no major infrastructure damage" after a survey of the city. | The Los Angeles Fire Department however said nobody had been killed or injured. 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. |
| In a tweet, Mayor Eric Garcetti said he was sending a task force to Kern County "to help with the damage closer to the epicenter". | In a tweet, 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. |