Two big earthquakes in two days in California
As
California Institute of Technology seismologist Egill Hauksson pointed
out Saturday, the city was once known as the earthquake capital of the
world. That's because so many small earthquakes happen there.
Friday's magnitude 7.1 earthquake was very different.
Jason Corona co-owns a Mexican restaurant that was packed Friday night.
At first the temblor felt like other strong quakes that hit in the past.
"It
started off low, and as soon as that bouncing started then I think it
set a whole new different level of panic for everybody,".
"It was different from the other ones that we've had before."
Bottles
fell behind the bar, patrons dropped to the floor under tables and
spilled food made a slippery getaway for frightened quests who sprinted
outside.
The
major earthquake was centered 11 miles northeast of Ridgecrest,
according to the US Geological Survey. It released 11 times the amount
of energy of Thursday's quake, also centered near Ridgecrest,
The quake swayed buildings and cracked streets and foundations in Southern California on Friday night, sending terrified residents into the streets.
Ridgecrest resident Jaye Krona said the earthquake felt like her "rocking chair gone crazy."
"We
had to sit down or crawl on hands and knees to get around because you
couldn't stand up and be in an upright position without falling over,"
Krona said.
Krona and her friend Kelly-Jo Lewis spent the night outside on Lewis' driveway.
"With
everything shaking, things are falling. It's just not safe," Lewis
said. "I felt safer outside, and I felt me and her were safer together
being in pairs."
