7.1 QUAKE TONIGHT NORTHEAST OF RIDGECREST JOLTS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA., SPARKS BRUSH FIRES

East County Wildfire & Emergency Alert Services

July 5, 2019 (Ridgecrest) -- A powerful 7.1 earthquake has struck 11 miles northeast of Ridgecrest tonight at 8:19 p.m., the same area rocked by a 6.4 earthquake yeserday morning. KCFD reports over a dozen small outdoor fires with larger vegetation fires burning north and east of the city. Kern County spokesperson Megan Person confirmed to CNN that fires and multiple injuries have occured. Structure damage is also reported.

Seismologist Lucy Jones tweeted, "There is a 1 in 20 chance of Friday night's magnitude 7.1 earthquake "being followed by somethign even bigger." Earthquake of magnitude 5 are likely and a magnitude 6 is quite possible, she said. 

An 8.5 quake in Chile was once a precursor to a 9.2, a seismic expert in a live press conference held by the Kern County Fire Department stated.

The U.S. Geological Survey originally reported the quake at 7.1, downgraded it to 6.9 and then upgraded it back to 7.1. That's 11 times stronger than the earlier 6.4 quake since the Richter scale is logorhythmic.

Southern California Edison reports some 26,000 customers are without power due to the quake.

Los Angeles Fire Dept. reports downed powerlines in L.A. 

View video of the KTLA newscasters ducking for cover when the quake hit:  https://twitter.com/i/status/1147353969674448896.

In San Bernadino County, the county fire department reports som homes have shifted off their foundations, according to KTLA.

Highway 178 is closed due to a rockslide in Kern County.

Governor Gavin Newsom immediately activated the state's Office of Emergency Services to coordinate a response to the impacted areas. 

Kern County reports an emergency shelter is open at the Kerr McGee Cener, 100 West California Ave., in Ridgerest across from City Hall.

The quake was felt as far away as Arizona, Sacramento and San Diego with rolling that lasted 30 seconds or more.

There is no tsunami warning from the quake, which was not near the coast.

The quake is the most powerful to strike California in decades and ties as the 11th strongest quake in the state's history, according to the California Department of Conservation's list of the state's strongest quakes.  Tonight's temblor had a higher magnitude on the Richter scale than the devastating Northridge and Loma Prieta quakes, which were centered in densely populated areas. 

This is a breaking story; check back for updates.

Read this excellent guide to what you should do before, during and after a major quake:  https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-how-prepare-earthquake-2017...

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