NEAR RIDGECREST (CBSLA) — A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck the remote Kern County community of Searles Valley Thursday morning just as families were celebrating the Fourth of July.
The quake, which began at 10:33 a.m., was centered about 160 miles northeast of Los Angeles and near the Mojave Desert.
(USGS)
According to the United States Geological Survey, the quake’s epicenter was 7.5 miles southwest of Searles Valley at a depth of 6.6 miles. The earthquake was initially given a magnitude of 6.6, but was later revised to a 6.4. It’s the largest earthquake to hit the region since 1999.
The earthquake was followed by dozens of aftershocks in the Ridgecrest and Searles Valley areas, measuring anywhere from magnitude 2.9 to 4.2.
The quake was felt as far south as Orange County and as far east as Las Vegas. In San Bernardino County, water main breaks, cracked buildings and downed power lines were reported, and a massive house fire was captured on cell phone video.
It wasn’t clear which fault the quake struck on, but seismologists ruled out the infamous San Andreas fault.
There were minimal reports of damage in the Southland following the quake, including a water main break on Wilshire Boulevard and La Jolla Avenue, power outages affecting the Garment District downtown, a portion of San Pedro, and 20 customers in Granada
Hills.
Officials later said the water main break might have been unrelated to the earthquake.
By early afternoon, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the city was “in great shape,” with no significant damage to report.
Damage at a Ridgecrest grocery store following a 6.4 magnitude quake. (Credit: Retired Kern County Fire Capt. Adam Graehl)
According to earthquake expert Dr. Lucy Jones, Caltech received a 48-second warning that the quake was coming, she said at a news conference in Pasadena. However, users of the Shake Alert app did not receive an alert because the quake in L.A. measured only a 4.5, which is under the 5.0 threshold required for an alert.
Jones also noted a vigorous aftershock sequence was underway and that she wouldn’t be surprised if a magnitude-5 quake occurred during the aftershocks.
“We should be expecting lots of aftershocks,” she said.
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“The earthquake is near China Lake and Ridgecrest, so the area to the east of the southernmost part of the San Andreas Fault…It is a sparsely inhabited area, so the number of people who would have received damage would be much lower,” Jones said.
Kern County Fire Department reported responding to two dozen incidents ranging from structure fires to medical assistance. Ridgecrest Regional Hospital was being evacuated.
San Bernardino County Fire Department reported some damage to roads and buildings, but no injuries were immediately reported. Fire officials said buildings and roads “sustained varying degrees of damage.”
L.A. International Airport reported no damage, with operations running normally. Los Angeles police said they had not received any reports of damage or calls for service within the city of L.A.
In Lancaster, one Twitter user reported people fleeing a movie theater.
“Felt like we were on a turntable,” user Rudio87 wrote.
#Update: Incredible picture of a road ripped open just out from the town of #Trona in #California, after the 6.4 magnitude #earthquake has been felt in that region. pic.twitter.com/kz6ZpgLkdl
— Sotiri Dimpinoudis (@sotiridi) July 4, 2019
My dad lives in Ridgecrest and felt strong ground shaking. I asked him to take pictures of any damage, see photos below (credit Adam Graehl).
M 6.4 – 12km SW of Searles Valley, CAhttps://t.co/3e222a3nq8 pic.twitter.com/jaTt3GWLYw
— Nick Graehl (@nickgraehl) July 4, 2019
@CBSLA Mirror shattered after 6.4 magnitude earthquake. Picture taken in Santa Clarita. #CBSLA pic.twitter.com/ZImjxr6jSn
— Pamela Norva (@Pamychiu) July 4, 2019
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