Just two weeks ago, two massive earthquakes occurred near Ridgecrest, about 150 miles outside of Los Angeles. One had a 6.4 magnitude while the other was a powerful 7.1. These earthquakes were the two largest in Southern California in over 20 years, causing massive property damage, ruptured gas lines, and starting multiple house fires in the process. There have been confirmed reports of one casualty as a result of the earthquakes.
The two recent earthquakes have sparked significant concerns about California’s preparedness due to an unusually long drought of seismic activity. “We’ve gone 20 years without one, so we have had the quietest 20 years in the history of Southern California,” said seismologist Lucy Jones of the California Institute of Technology. “That’s unlikely to continue in the long run,” she added. “Geology keeps on moving … and we should be expecting a higher rate. Also, when it happens near people, it is going to be a lot worse.”
The recent earthquakes were the largest since the 1994 Northridge Earthquake that caused $15 billion worth of damage and killed 63 people. Due to the seriousness of this situation, politicians from both sides are working together to help the people of Ridgecrest.
When Governor Gavin Newsom discussed his conversation with President Trump, he said that “there’s no question we don’t agree on everything, but one area where there’s no politics, where we work extremely well together, is our response to emergencies.” He also said of Trump, “He’s committed in the long haul, the long run, to help support the rebuilding efforts.” Thankfully, both sides were able to come together and address the pressing issue of the safety of the citizens of Ridgecrest.
Correction: At the time of publishing, this article excluded the one casualty. This mistake has been updated.
Photo by Andrew Buchanan
