This archive report was first published on 6 July 2019.
Published on July 6, 2019, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit Southern California, marking the largest tremor in the region in two decades.
The earthquake, which occurred on Friday, was 11 times stronger than the 6.4-magnitude quake that struck the area the previous day.
According to the United States Geological Survey, the quake was centered in a remote and sparsely populated area around 150 miles northeast of Los Angeles, where it was also felt.
Emergency workers and security forces were dispatched to the epicenter, where reports of building collapses and power outages were common.
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for San Bernardino County, expanding on an earlier announcement covering Kern County, near the epicenter of both the quakes this week.
A joint task force, including around 200 security personnel, helicopters, and cargo aircraft, was deployed to the area to assist with relief efforts.
San Bernardino fire department spokesman Jeremy Kern stated that there were no active searches ongoing for trapped casualties.
The quake was the largest in southern California since 1999, when a 7.1-magnitude quake struck the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps base.
