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Friday 5 July 2019

6.4 magnitude EARTHQUAKE hits Southern California: Biggest quake in 20 YEARS rattles thousands - including celebrities - from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, causes fires, damages buildings and sparks rock slides

A 6.4 magnitude earthquake that rattled Southern California residents amid their Fourth of July celebrations has caused fires, damaged buildings and sparked rock slides. 
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake was reported near Searles Valley, a sparsely populated portion of the Mojave Desert.
The USGS said the quake started 11 miles from Ridgecrest, California, around 10.33am. The quake struck at a depth of 5.4 miles in the vast desert region, lasting multiple seconds.
Fire crews are responding to at least 24 medical and fire incidents in Ridgecrest. 
The Kern County Fire Department said it has sent search and rescue teams to the town of 28,000 people. 
In a tweet, the department said it was working 'nearly 2 dozens incidents ranging from medical assistance to structure fires in and around the city of Ridgecrest'.

A 6.4 magnitude earthquake that rattled Southern California residents amid their Fourth of July celebrations has caused fires, damaged buildings and sparked rock slides
A 6.4 magnitude earthquake that rattled Southern California residents amid their Fourth of July celebrations has caused fires, damaged buildings and sparked rock slides
The Kern County Fire Department said it was working 'nearly 2 dozens incidents ranging from medical assistance to structure fires (pictured) in and around the city of Ridgecrest'
The Kern County Fire Department said it was working 'nearly 2 dozens incidents ranging from medical assistance to structure fires (pictured) in and around the city of Ridgecrest'
A video from Ridgecrest showed a large fire in the backyard of a home. Firefighters were seen battling the blaze
A video from Ridgecrest showed a large fire in the backyard of a home. Firefighters were seen battling the blaze
This firefighter is seen fully extinguishing the blaze from the home in Ridgecrest
This firefighter is seen fully extinguishing the blaze from the home in Ridgecrest 
This image shows another angle of the firefighters battling the blaze in Ridgecrest
This image shows another angle of the firefighters battling the blaze in Ridgecrest 
The earthquake caused rock slides (pictured)
It also caused large cracks (pictured) across roads
The earthquake caused rock slides (left) as well as large cracks (right) across roads, officials said
California smashed by massive 6.4 magnitude earthquake
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A video from Ridgecrest showed a large fire in the backyard of a home. 
Firefighters were seen battling the blaze. 
In Kern County, the earthquake prompted evacuations at Ridgecrest Regional Hospital.
According to poweroutage.us, there were some 5,851 customers without power in Kern County.
Temperatures in the area were expected to climb to nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday, with extremely low humidity, the Weather Channel said.
Officials in San Bernardino County said the quake caused water mains to break, downed power lines, cracked buildings and caused rock slides on roads.
No injuries or fires were reported in San Bernardino County.
People from Las Vegas to the Pacific Coast reported feeling a rolling motion that shook shower doors and made hanging dining room light sway. 
At least four large aftershocks have been recorded, measuring 4.7, 3.5, 3.8 and 4.2 magnitude, officials said. 
Fire erupts in Ridgecrest after 6.4 earthquake rattles California
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Boxes of the liquor and beer were damaged from the earthquake
A Ridgecrest resident shared video of her father's liquor store (pictured) that was damaged by the earthquake
A Ridgecrest resident shared video of her father's liquor store (pictured) that was damaged by the earthquake
Hundreds of broken bottles (pictured) of spirits were seen all over the floor of the store as the family surveyed the damage
Hundreds of broken bottles (pictured) of spirits were seen all over the floor of the store as the family surveyed the damage
Liquor store seen destroyed by 6.4 magnitude earthquake in CA
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The USGS estimates that the 'impact should be relatively localized'. 
A Ridgecrest resident shared video of her father's liquor store that was damaged by the earthquake. 
Hundreds of broken bottles of spirits were seen all over the floor of the store as the family surveyed the damage. 
It was felt in central Los Angeles as a long, rolling quake, making buildings rock back and forth for at least several seconds.
Several residents shared videos of their homes shaking during the quake. 
One video shows the moment the quake even created waves in a resident's swimming pool.

Several residents shared videos of their homes shaking during the quake. One video shows the moment the quake even created waves in a resident's swimming pool
Several residents shared videos of their homes shaking during the quake. One video shows the moment the quake even created waves in a resident's swimming pool

There were no immediate reports of injuries in the Los Angeles area, which is about 125 miles southwest of Ridgecrest. 
According to Diane Ruggiero, general manager of the Hampton Inn and Suites Ridgecrest, said the hotel has significant damage. 
The Los Angeles Airport shared that all of their 'runways have been inspected with no reported damage to the airfield or the Sepulveda tunnel. Operations remain normal'. 
In a tweet, the Los Angeles Fire Department said 'all 106 fire stations are out conducting a strategic survey of their districts to determine if any damage exists'. 
'At this time, the LAPD has not received any reports of damage or calls for service within the City of Los Angeles related to the #earthquake,' the LA Police Department tweeted. 
Veteran seismologist Lucy Jones (pictured) said the earthquake was the strongest to hit Southern California in 20 years. She says the previous large quake was a 7.1 on that struck in the area on October 16, 1999
Veteran seismologist Lucy Jones (pictured) said the earthquake was the strongest to hit Southern California in 20 years. She says the previous large quake was a 7.1 on that struck in the area on October 16, 1999
According to European quake agency, EMSC, the quake was felt in an area inhabited by some 20 million people. This graphic shows the areas where the quake was felt
According to European quake agency, EMSC, the quake was felt in an area inhabited by some 20 million people. This graphic shows the areas where the quake was felt 
The earthquake struck about seven miles southwest of Searles Valley, California (pictured)
The earthquake struck about seven miles southwest of Searles Valley, California (pictured) 
Frightening moment plants and lights sway during CA earthquake
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Laguna Beach police shared on social media that 'there is NO tsunami danger to the California coastline' following the quake. 
According to European quake agency, EMSC, the quake was felt in an area inhabited by some 20 million people. 
Ashleigh Chandler, a helicopter rescue EMT at Fort Irwin, California, said the quake happened as she was getting ready for a July 4th party.
'I was just in the living room getting everything ready, we start to feel the shaking, so then I look up and then the wine bottles start rattling and I thought, "They're going to fall."'
'My sister was in the house and my dog, so we just got everyone outside and then it ended. It was like 15, 20 seconds, maybe. It was pretty good shaking, so I'm out of breath.
'Everyone's OK.'
The earthquake got the attention of President Donald Trump who tweeted: 'Been fully briefed on earthquake in Southern California. All seems to be very much under control!'
The earthquake got the attention of President Donald Trump who tweeted: 'Been fully briefed on earthquake in Southern California. All seems to be very much under control!'
Several celebrities also tweeted about the quake. Actress Gabrielle Union tweeted that the she was using the bathroom at the time of the earthquake
Several celebrities also tweeted about the quake. Actress Gabrielle Union tweeted that the she was using the bathroom at the time of the earthquake
Nest camera captures 6.4 magnitude earthquake in California
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Cora Burke, a waitress at Midway Cafe in Ridgecrest, said: 'It almost gave me a heart attack.'
'It's just a rolling feeling inside the building, inside the cafe and all of a sudden everything started falling off the shelf, glasses, the refrigerator and everything in the small refrigerator fell over.'
The earthquake got the attention of President Donald Trump who tweeted: 'Been fully briefed on earthquake in Southern California. All seems to be very much under control!' 
Ridgecrest Mayor Peggy Breedon said the city was dealing with fires and broken gas lines, as well as falling objects that hit people, as the city endured many aftershocks.
Breeden said firefighters are working to put out five fires in the area. She said workers are currently assessing broken gas lines and turning off gas where necessary.
This photo shows broken bottles and other goods in a store in Lake Isabella, California, following the earthquake
This photos show broken bottles in a California store
These photos show broken bottles and other goods in two separate stores in California, following the earthquake
Ceiling light sways as 6.4 earthquake rattles California
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The mayor said the local senior center was holding a Fourth of July event when the quake hit. She says everyone made it out shaken up but without injuries.
Several celebrities also tweeted about the quake. 
Actress Gabrielle Union tweeted that the she was using the bathroom at the time of the earthquake.
'The fact that I experienced that longa** earthquake while on the toilet at the gym...and immediately blamed the celery juice, is about right. Lordt,' she joked. 
Ava DuVernay also tweeted: 'Been living in Los Angeles all my life. That was the longest earthquake I’ve ever experienced. Not jerky. Smooth and rolling. But it was loooong. 
'It was so long I thought for the first time ever “Is this the big one?” Damn. Respect Mother Nature. She’s the boss.' 
Trevor Noah said: 'That earthquake was not fun...'
'6.6 is strong. We felt a lil’ movement here in the valley, but all good. Prayers to those in D valley, Bakersfield, S Valley, Kern etc. Be safe, stay prepared,' Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson tweeted.  
Chandelier rocks side to side as earthquake hits California
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The epicenter was very close to Ridgecrest, a town with a population of more than 27,600 in the high desert. 
Its epicenter was also located in or on the edge of the US Navy's sprawling desert bomb testing range known as China Lake. 
The Naval Air Weapons Station covers 1.1 million acres and strictly controls the airspace above it. 
Inside, the Navy develops and tests missiles, bombs, artillery shells and other war ordnance, and the aircraft used to deliver it.
An official at China Lake said there was 'substantial damage' to their facilities, including fires, water leaks and spills of hazardous materials.
The area is associated with the Eastern California Shear Zone and has suffered earthquake swarms in the past, including a series of some 2,500 tremors over the course of five weeks in the summer of 1995.
Veteran seismologist Lucy Jones said the earthquake was the strongest to hit Southern California in 20 years.
She says the previous large quake was a 7.1 on that struck in the area on October 16, 1999.
Jones said she wouldn't be surprised if the area is hit by many aftershocks in the coming days. The area could even be hit by a larger quake, she added. '
'There is about a one-in-20 chance that this location will be having an even bigger earthquake within the next few days, that we have not yet seen the biggest earthquake of the sequence,' she said. 
Authorities in the Ridgecrest area could not be reached immediately for comment.
In 1994, magnitude 6.6 earthquake hit Southern California. At the time it caused billions of dollars of damage.  

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