Los Angeles and Southern California Rocked by 7.1 Magnitude Earthquake, Second in Two Days

LOS ANGELES—A second earthquake that was 11 times as strong as Thursday’s hit southern California on Friday.

The powerful 7.1-magnitude quake, which hit at 8:19 p.m. local time, swayed buildings and cracked street pavement and building foundations in the region. It was the largest earthquake to hit the region in over 20 years.

The earthquake struck 11 miles northeast of Ridgecrest, a Mojave Desert town 150 miles (241 kilometers) from Los Angeles, the US Geological Survey said in a statement. It was five times bigger and 11 times stronger than Thursday’s 6.4 -magnitude earthquake, which also centered near Ridgecrest.

Power and telephone lines were also down in parts of the city and multiple water mains cracked as a result of the quake. Residents also reported multiple fires resulting from damaged gas lines.

The tremor was felt in downtown Los Angeles. While it was a holiday, those in offices in skyscrapers reported that the quake rocked buildings for at least 30 seconds. Some Los Angeles residents were stuck in elevators as a result. Dodger Stadium was swaying for 30 seconds although the game continued without interruption, while Disneyland shut down and conducted safety checks on its rides.

Officials at Los Angeles International Airport said that they checked terminals and surrounding areas for damage and injuries.

“Crews have completed their assessment of the airfield and terminals with no damage reported,” airport officials said on Twitter Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles’ Metrolink transit system shut down and conducted inspections of tracks.

Trona, a town of 2,000 people in San Bernardino County, does not have power or water, its mayor said to reporters.

The earthquake also shut down an NBA summer match in Las Vegas.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)