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06 July, 2019
RIDGECREST: For a second day, Southern California was rocked by a major earthquake Friday — this one a 7.1 magnitude — in the same area of the Mojave Desert near Ridgecrest where a 6.4 magnitude temblor caused damage on Thursday.
The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake hit at 8:19 p.m. and was centered 11 miles from Ridgecrest. The agency initially said the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.1, downgraded it to a 6.9 but then readjusted back up to a 7.1.
If the preliminary magnitude is correct, it would be the largest Southern California quake in 20 years.
Multiple fires and injuries have been reported in Ridgecrest — about 150 miles from Los Angeles — after Friday’s earthquake, Kern County spokeswoman Megan Person told CNN. An emergency operations center is being set up in Bakersfield, she said.
“It is on the same fault system and it’s larger,” said Cal Tech seismologist Lucy Jones. “Still in the Owens Valley. My expectation is Ridgecrest is having a difficult time tonight.”
Jones said since Friday’s quake was larger, Thursday’s 6.4 temblor would now be considered a foreshock. The foreshock Friday morning and the 7.1 quake had lengthen the fault line to the northwest away from Los Angeles.
“The fault is growing,” Jones said.
In the hour following the 7.1 temblor, Jones said, there were at least 10 aftershocks of between 4-5 magnitude including a 5.1 at around 9:19 p.m.
The temblor was felt from Long Beach to Las Vegas. .Thursday’s quake caused major damage to buildings and roads in Ridgecrest and reports of even wider destruction began rolling in within an hour of a quake.
Officials in San Bernardino County reported homes shifting, foundation cracking and retaining walls coming down. One person suffered minor injuries and was being treated by firefighters, they said.
Andrew Lippman, who lives in suburban South Pasadena, was sitting outside and reading the paper when Friday’s quake hit.
“It just started getting stronger and stronger, and I looked into my house and the lamp started to sway. I could see power lines swaying,” he said. “This one seemed 45 (seconds)… I’m still straightening pictures.”
In Las Vegas, the quake rocked the Thomas & Mack Center where a NBA Summer League game featuring top draft pick Zion Williamson was underway. Immediately, officials halted play and fans streamed out of the facility as the massive scoreboard rocked back and forth.
The press box at Dodger Stadium lurched for several seconds, and fans in the upper deck appeared to be moving toward the exit. Enrique Hernandez of the Dodgers was at-bat in the bottom of the fourth when the quake occurred. He stepped out of the batter’s box, but it wasn’t clear if that was because of the quake.
As a comparison, the deadly Loma Prieta Earthquake that ravaged the San Francisco Bay Area in 1989 was a 6.9 magnitude temblor. The 1994 Northridge earthquake was a 6.7. (CNN & AP contributed to this report)
