Ridgecrest Earthquake: One Year Later

Ridgecrest Earthquake: One Year Later

23ABC takes a look back at the 6.4 and 7.1 magnitude earthquakes that rocked the Ridgecrest area last year.

STRONGER AND IT JUST SEEMED TOLAST FOREVER.""THIS HAPPENED ON A HOLIDAYWEEKENDAND TO GET RESOURCES IT WAS VERYDIFFICULT."GOOD EVENING -- I'M JESSICAHARRINGTON -- AND WELCOMEINTO THIS SPECIAL EDITION OF23ABC NEWS AT 6THIS WEEKEND -- WILL MARK ONEYEAR SINCE THE CITY OFRIDGECREST WAS RATTLED BY A PAIROF POWERFUL EARTHQUAKES.A MAGNITUDE 6-POINT-4 ON 4TH OFJULY AND A 7-POINT-1 THEFOLLOWING DAY.MANY PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTYSTILL TALKING ABOUTWHERE THEY WERE THAT HOLIDAYWEEKEND.SO WE BEGIN TONIGHT -- WITH23ABC'S MIKE HART -- TAKING USBACK TO ONE OF THE BIGGESTNATURAL DISASTERS TO HITKERN COUNTY SINCE THE 20-16ERSKINE WILDFIRE...EARTHQUAKE SHAKINGUNEXPECTED FIREWORKS ON THE 4THOF JULY!A MAGNITUDE 6-POINT-4EARTHQUAKE..

OR WHAT WAS LATERREFERRED TO AS A "FORESHOCK"..SHOOK UP THE HIGH DESERT..CENTERED ABOUT 11 MILES OUTSIDERIDGECREST AT 10-30 IN THEMORNING."ALL UNITS CITY WIDE EARTHQUAKEMODE"..IT KNOCKED EVERYTHING OFF THEWALLS...LOCAL STORES BEGAN POSTINGPICTURES AND VIDEO ON SOCIALMEDIA OF THE DAMAGE..AND FOR SOME RESIDENTS..

ITWASN'T THE FIRST TIME THINGSWERE SHAKEN UP!BIGGEST ONE IN FIVE I'VE BEENIN..

WENT ONFOREVER LOT OF MOVEMENT..JACK MINTON'S GARAGE CAUGHTFIRE..

THE VIDEO GOING VIRAL..DESTROYING TWO CLASSIC CARS.HE TOLD 23ABC HE CAME HOME 15MINUTES AFTER THE QUAKE..

ANDEVERYTHING SEEMED OK..NOTHING WRONG, 10 MINS LATER,SPOTTEDFIRE IN GARAGE..ONE OF SEVERAL FIRES AROUNDRIDGECREST AND SURROUNDINGCOMMUNITIES..WITH MAG, INJURIES AND DAMAGE,VARIOUS STRUCTURES.25 PATIENTS NEED TRANSFERRED TOOTHER FACILITES, HELICOPTER ANDAMBULANCE.TAKING PEOPLE OUT OF HOSPITAL TOASSESS, FIVE FIRES, NAVAL BASE,VERY IMPORTANT ASESSING DAMAGETHERE ASWELL.AND IT DIDN'T STOP THERE..DOING GRID SEARCH..

WHOA THAT'SQUAKE..THE QUAKE AND ESUING AFTERSHOCKSCOULD BE FELTALL ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA..EVEN BRINGING RIDESAT DISNEYLAND TO A HALT.AS WE KNOW NOW..

IT WAS JUST THEBEGINNING.ALTHOUGH..

SEISMIC EXPERT DR.LUCY JONES TOLD US ON JULY4TH THAT A BIGGER ONE ASCOMING..1-IN-20 THIS LOCATION, EVENBIGGER NEXTFEW DAYS, NOT SEEN BIGGER,CERTAIN AREA SHAKING A LOTTODAY..

SOME EXCEEDMAG 5 BECOMING DAMAGING...AND SHE WAS RIGHT..THE 7-POINT-1 EARTHQUAKE..

THESTRONGEST OF THAT SERIES..STRUCK THE NEXT DAY..NOW IS THE TIME..

WATER..

LISTENRADIO..

BATTERY..

TRADITIONALT-V...BECAUSE RESIDENTS IN THE HIGHDESERT WERE GOING TOBE FEELING IT FOR THE REST OFTHE YEAR.MIKE HART..

23ABC..

CONNECTINGYOU...FOLLOWING THE TWO BACK TO BACKEARTHQUAKES --AFTERSHOCKS CONTINUED TO HIT THERIDGECREST AREA...ACCORDING TO THE U.S. GEOLOGICALSURVEY --BETWEEN JULY 4-TH AND JULY 23RDOF LAST YEAR -- THERE WEREMORE THAN 80-THOUSANDAFTERSHOCKS.AN ESTIMATED 40 MOBILE HOMES ANDTRAILERS WERE DEEMEDUNINHABITABLE.THE ROOF OF THE RIDGECRESTCINEMA PARTIALLY COLLAPSED ANDNUMEROUS BUSINESSES LOST GOODSAS THE ITEMS ONSHELVES FELL TO THE FLOOR.OF THOSE AFTERSHOCKS -- THEU-S-G-S SAYS 59-HUNDRED OFTHEM WERE BETWEEN 2.0 AND 2.9MAGNITUDE... 1-THOUSAND OFTHEM WERE BETWEEN 3.0 TO 3.9MAGNITUDE..

105 OF THEMWERE 4.0 TO 4.9LAST YEAR'S QUAKE ALWAYS PRESENTON THE MINDS OF PEOPLEOF KERN COUNTY...SO WHEN THE 5-POINT-8 MAGNITUDEEARTHQUAKESTRUCK LAST WEEK -- IMMEDIATELYTHE PARALLELS BEINGDRAWN -- ESEPCIALLY -- SINCETHIS NEW QUAKE HIT ONLYABOUT 70 MILES NORTH OFRIDGECREST.THE EPICENTER WAS IN THE LONEPINE AREA.THE U-S GEOLOGICAL SURVEYREPORTED THATTHE QUAKE HIT AT 10-40 IN THEMORNING ON JUNE 24TH -- AND JUSTAFEW MINUTES AFTER THAT A 3-POINT-6 AND 3-POINT-1 HIT IN THESAME AREA.SEVERAL AFTERSHOCKS HAVE HITTHAT AREA SINCE THEINITAIL QUAKE.AND TAKE A LOOK AT THIS VIDEOFROM THE LONE PINE MARKETTAKEN DURING THE QUAKE... ITLOOKED VERY SIMILAR TOSCENES SEEN WHEN THE RIDGECRESTQUAKESHAPPENED...BOTTLES CRASHING.

GROCERIES OFFTHE SHELVES.WORKERS THOUGHT AT FIRST THERUMBLINGS WAS FROM ASONIC JET OUT OF THE CHINA LAKENAVAL WEAPONS STATION.FOR A MOMENT-- RAMON SANCHEZ --A WORKER AT THE STORE -- SAYSHE FELT PARALYZED..."YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHAT TO DOWHENSTUFF LIKE THIS HAPPENS BUT WEJUST KIND OF FROZE IN PLACE ANDKIND OFLOOKED AROUND, WONDERING WHETHERWE SHOULD STOP THINGS FROMFALLINGBUT THEN WE JUST DECIDED TO STAYOUT OF HARMS WAY.

"AND THE RECENT QUAKE ALSO CAUSEDA ROCKSLIDE NEARMOUNT WHITNEY...THE INYO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICERECENTLY PROVIDING ANUPDATE ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGEFOR THE ROCKSLIDE AT THEWHITNEY PORTAL CAMPGROUNDS.THE POST SAYING THE WHITNEY AREAHAS BEEN EVALUATED BYGEOLOGISTS, AND THE SOUTHERNAREA OF WHITNEY PORTAL WILLREMAIN CLOSED, BUT MOST TRAILSWILL RE-OPEN.THE EMERGENCY EVACUATION ORDERSHAVE BEEN LIFTED ASWELL.MEANWHILE -- OUR 23ABC CREW WASIN RIDGECREST THE DAY OF THATRECENT QUAKE -- AND THIS IS WHATA RESIDENT THERE SAID ABOUT THATLATEST TREMOR...I CAME IN THE HOUSE AND SATDOWN.

AND AT THAT TIME I FELT ANOISE COMINGTHROUGH AND IT SOUNDED LIKE AFREIGHT TRAIN.

SURE ENOUGHT ITGOTPRETTY SIGNIFICANT.I FELT A VERY LONG ROLL.

ITWASNT A SHAKER IT WAS A STRONGROLL.

IT WASPRETTY SCARY.WE ALSO SPOKE TO RIDGECRESTPOLICE CHIEF JED MCLAUGHLIN THATDAY -- WHO SAID HE SENT A TEAMOF OFFICERS TO SERACH FORDAMAGE.THE TEAM -- LUCKILY -- FINDINGNO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE.AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO TRACKANY AFTERSHOCKSFOLLOWING THAT 5.8 MAGNITUDEEARTH QUAKE IN LONE PINE IN INYOCOUNTY -- JUST NORTH OFRIDGECREST.HERE'S A LOOK AT OUR EARTHQUAKETRACKER.SINCE THAT RECENT QUAKE --THERE'S BEEN DOZENS OFAFTERSHOCKS.ALL OF THOSE REGISTERING AT AMAGNITUDE 2-POINT-5 ORHIGHER.FOR THE LATEST ON EARTHQUAKES INKERN COUNTY -- BE SURE TODOWNLOAD OUR 23ABC MOBILE ANDTABLET APP.MEANWHILE -- 23ABC'S AUSTINWESTFALL CAUGHT UP WITHSEISMOLOGIST DR. LUCY JONES ANDLOCAL RIDGECRESTRESIDENTS..

ONE YEAR LATER..

TOTALK ABOUT HOW AFTERSHOCKSHAVE -- AND WILL CONTINUE TOSHAPE -- THE AREA IN THE FUTURE."THE BIG STORIES OF JULY 4TH AND5THLAST YEAR WERE, OF COURSE, THEBIG SHAKES.

BUT EVER SINCE,RESIDENTS INRIDGECREST AND THE SURROUNDINGAREAS HAVE BEEN FEELING A NEARLYCONSTANTSERIES OF SMALLER AFTERSHOCKS.

IWANTED TO GET A BETTERUNDERSTANDING OF WHATAFTERSHOCKS ARE, SO WE SPOKEWITH RENOWNEDEARTHQUAKE EXPERT DR. LUCYJONES.""EVERY EARTHQUAKE MAKES ANOTHEREARTHQUAKE MORE LIKELY."AND THE BIGGER THEEARTHQUAKE...THE MOREAFTERSHOCKS IT WILL PRODUCE,SAYS DR. LUCY JONES.

JONESSAYS QUAKES AS BIG AS THE ONELAST SUMMER ARE RARE, IN FACTCALIFORNIA ONLY SEES A 7.0MAGNITUDE EVENT ABOUTONCE A DECADE.

SHE SAYS IT'SCONSIDERED NORMAL THAT THEAREA IS STILL SEEING UPWARDS OFHUNDREDS OF AFTERSHOCKS AWEEK.

BUT THOSE AFTERSHOCKS TAKEA TOLL."IT WASN'T UNTIL WE MOVED THAT IWAS ABLE TO RE-STABILIZEMENTALLY."VINCENT TULINO'S RIDGECREST HOMEWAS RATTLED BY THETWO BIG QUAKES.

HE RECENTLYMOVED OUT OF STATE FOR WORK,BUT HE SAYS ONE OF THE BESTPARTS OF MOVING WAS GETTINGAWAY FROM THE AFTERSHOCKS.

EVENTHOUGH FOR HIM THESHAKING IS GONE, HE SAYS LASTSUMMER STILL LEFT A MARK."A TRUCK ROLLS BY AND CAUSES AWINDOW PANE TO RATTLE A LITTLEBIT,AND MY WIFE AND I LITERALLYFREEZE AND LOOK AT EACHOTHER,AND IT'SLIKE NO NO NO WE'RE NOT THEREANYMORE."AND SINCE SO MANY OTHERS THATARE STILL IN TOWN FEEL THESAME.WHEN WILL THE AFTERSHOCKSEND?

JONES SAYSSEISMOLOGISTS WILL FIGURE THATOUT BY EXAMINING THE NUMBER OFEARTHQUAKES THAT NORMALLYHAPPENED IN RIDGECRESTBEFORE THE JULY 4TH EVENT, ANDCOMPARING IT TO THE NUMBER OFQUAKES HAPPENING AFTER.

SHE USESTHE EXAMPLE OFHOW MANY EARTHQUAKES HAPPENED INA WEEK LAST JUNE,COMPARED TO NOW."YOU HAD SEVEN EARTHQUAKES IN AWEEK A YEAR AGO, AND YOU HAD 250IN A WEEK THIS YEAR IN JUNE."UNTIL THE AREA'S SEISMICACTIVITY RETURNS TO IT'S NORMALRATE.

ALLSMALLER QUAKES IN THE AREA WILLBE CONSIDERED AFTERSHOCKS.

SHESAYS THE FREQUENCY OFAFTERSHOCKS HAS BEEN, ANDWILL CONTINUE TO DECREASEGRADUALLY AS TIME PASSES.

BUTFOR IT TO TRULY GET BACK TO IT'SNORMAL RATE WILL BE A MATTEROF QUITE A FEW YEARS, AS WAS THECASE WITH THE 7.5MAGNITUDE TEHACHAPI QUAKE THATHAPPENED IN 1952."IT DID NOT GET BACK TO THATBACKGROUNDRATE BEFORE THE 90S."JONES ANTICIPATES, HOWEVER, THATTHE RIDGECRESTAREA WILL RETURN TO NORMALQUICKER THAN TEHACHAPIBECAUSE THE RIDGECREST EVENT WASA SMALLERMAGNITUDE.

WHEN ASKED ABOUT THELIKELIHOOD THATANOTHER LARGE-SCALE QUAKEHAPPENS IN THE AREA, JONES SAIDIT'S MORE LIKELY THAT THERE WILLONLY CONTINUE TO BE MAGNITUDE1, 2, 3, SOME FOUR, AND RARELY AFIVE...THESEISMOLOGIST ALSO UNDERLININGTHE IMPORTANCE OFALWAYS BEING READY FOR SOMETHINGBIGGER."MOST LIKELY IT DOESN'T HAPPEN,BUTYOU CAN'T SAY IT WON'T HAPPEN.""DR. JONES SAYS ANY QUAKE THATIS WITHIN30 MILES OF THE RIDGECRESTQUAKE'S FAULT LINE IS CONSIDEREDANAFTERSHOCK.

LAST WEEK'S 5.8 LONEPINE QUAKE WAS JUST OUTSIDE OFTHATZONE.

AUSTIN WESTFALL 23ABCCONNECTING YOU."AND AS AUSTIN MENTIONED -- THERECENT EARTHQUAKE IN LONE PINEWAS NOT ALONG THE SAME FAULTLINEAS THE QUAKESTHAT STRUCK RIDGECREST LASTYEAR.DOCTOR JONES EXPLAINING DURING ARECENT INTERVIEW WE DIDWITH HER NOT LONG AFTER THE LONEPINE QUAKE..."THIS IS A DIFFERENT FAULT THATTHERIDGECREST EARTHQUAKE AND IT ISFAR ENOUGH AWAY IT DOESN'T FALLWITHINTHE DEFINITION OF AFTERSHOCKS.WE LOOK AT IT AS ITS OWNEARTHQUAKE."ACCORDING TO NASA AND THE U-SGEOLOGICAL SURVEY -- THERIDGECREST QUAKE LAST YEARHAPPENED ALONG WHAT IS KNOWNAS THE GARLOCK FAULT, A MAJOREAST-WEST FAULT RUNNING MORETHAN 185 MILES FROM THE SANANDREAS FAULT TO DEATH VALLEY.AND -- THE STRAIN PLACED ON THEGARLOCK FAULT BY JULY'SEARTHQUAKE ACTIVITY TRIGGERED ITTO START SLOWLYMOVING, A PROCESS CALLFAULT-CREEP.THE FAULT HAS SLIPPED ZERO-POINT-8 INCHES AT THE SURFACESINCE LAST YEAR.WE TURN NOW TO ANOTHER COMMUNITYHIT HARD BY THEEARTHQUAKES LAST YEAR --THE COMMUNITY AT THE NAVAL AIRBASE AT CHINA LAKE -- JUSTTHREE MILES OUTSIDERIDGECREST...ACCORDING TO ESTIMATES BY BASEOFFICIALS -- THE QUAKESSEVERELY RATTLED THE NAVAL AIRWEAPONSSTATION IN CHINA LAKE, ASPRAWLING DESERT FACILITYWHERE SOME OF THE MILITARY'SMOST ADVANCED WEAPONS ARETESTED.OVER 3-BILLION DOLLARS WILL GOINTO FIXING THE NAVAL BASE AFTERHUNDREDS OF THEIR FACILITIESWERE DAMAGED BY THERIDGECREST EARTHQUAKES.23ABC'S DANIELA GARRIDO WASTHERE A YEAR AGO TO COVERTHE DAMAGE AND NOW HAS AN UPDATEON WHERE THE BASESTANDS TODAY...IT'S BEEN A YEAR SINCE THE CHINALAKE NAVAL BASE WAS SHAKEN BYTHE RIDGECREST EARTHQUAKES LASTSUMMER.THE BASE MAKES UP 85-PERCENT OFTHE NAVY'S LAND FOR RESEARCH,DEVELOPMENT, AND ACQUISITION ANDIT ALSO SITS ON THE TWOFAULT LINES THAT SHIFTED DURINGTHE 6.4 AND 7.1 MAGNITUDEEARTHQUAKES.:"ITS A STOPPAGE IN TIME POST 7.1MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE"OVER 230 FACILITIES OR 20-PERCENT OF THE BASE'S BUILDINGSWERE DAMAGED AFTER THEEARTHQUAKES INCLUDING EVERYDAY USE FACILITIES SUCH AS ACHAPEL, A COMMISSARY, ANDA SCHOOL.TODAY, A YEAR LATER, THERE IS ASTILL A LOT OF MAJOR AND MINORWORK TO BE FIXED."SO WE'VE STARTED WITH THERECOVERY EFFORTS.

FORTUNATELYCONGRESS AWARDED 3 BILLION TOAID IN THE RECOVERY EFFORTS SOWERE ONTHE WAY WITH DEVELOPING THESCOPE OF WORKS AND GETTING READYTOAWARD CONTRACTS TO REPLACEDIFFERENT FACILITIES"FOR ABOUT A WEEK AFTER THEEARTHQUAKES, FLIGHTOPERATIONS WERE HALTED ON THEBASE.

FOR NOW, FIXING THEPLANE HANGERS HAS BEEN APRIORITY FOR THE RECOVERINGBASE."THE HIGHEST PRIORITY FOR US WASSOME OF THE FACILITIES AT THEAIR FIELD WHICH WE ARE CLOSE..THOSE WILLBE AWARDED IN SEPTEMBER.CONGRESS HAS AWARDED THE FUNDSFOR THOSE.

WE WILL BE ABLE TOGET THAT RECONSTRUCTION ON THEWAY SHORTLY."A CHAPEL THAT ONCE SERVEDHUNDREDS WAS RED TAGGEDAFTER THE EARTHQUAKE.."ALL THE STATUARY WAS BROKEN ANDSMASHED IN PIECES ALL THERELIGIOUS STATUARY IN THERE"AND STILL REMAINS THAT WAYTODAY."FORTUNATELY WE WERE ABLE TOFINDOTHER FACILITIES TO HOLDRELIGIOUS SERVICES IN THEINTERIM"THE BASE SAYS THEY'VE ALSO TAKENTHIS TIME TO MODERNIZECERTAIN FACILITIES SO THEY CANUPHOLD A POTENTIALFUTURE EARTHQUAKE."SOME OF THE FACILITIES WEREFROM THE 40S AND 50S AND WE TOOKTHE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOPPLANS, MAKEREPLACEMENTS, AND BRING THEFACILITIES UP TO MODERNSTANDARDS"NOW THAT FUNDING HAS BEENSECURED - THE CHINA LAKE NAVALBASE HOPES TO OFFICIALLY BEGINTHEIRRIDGECREST RECOVERY EFFORTS INSEPTEMBER.IN RIDGECREST, I'M DANIELAGARRIDO, 23 ABC NEWSCONNECTING YOU.COMING UP --THE HARDEST HIT PLACE INRIDGECREST -- THE LOCALTHEATER -- REBUILDS..."WE'RE SMALL BUSINESS, WE'REINDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND WE DON'THAVE THAT TRAINING BEHIND US, SOWESPENT THE FIRST TWO MONTHS AFTERTHE EARTHQUAKE MAKING SURE WEHAD ALLTHAT IN LINE, AND MAKING SUREEVERYONE KNEW WHAT TO DO IN ANEVENT OF SOMETHING HAPPENING."MORE ON THE REOPENING OF THETHEATER AND THE IMPACT THEQUAKES HAD ON OTHER BUSINESSES-- WHEN WE THISSPECIAL EDITION OF 23 ABC NEWSAT SIX RETURNS...WELCOME BACK --TONIGHT WE ARE NOT JUST LOOKINGBACK AT WHAT HAPPENEDLAST YEAR --WE ARE ALSO LOOKING FORWARD --23ABC'S BAYAN WANG HAS MORE ONHOW THE HARDEST HITBUSINESSES IN RIDGECREST HAVEBEEN AFFECTED, WHILE TAKING ONA NEW BATTLE IN THE MIDST OF APANDEMIC.THE COMMUNITY OF RIDGECREST IS ARESILIENT ONE -- DESPITE TWOPOWERFUL EARTHQUAKES RATTLINGTHE CITY THIS PASTJULY, RESIDENTS UNDERSCORE THEOBSTACLES THEY'VEOVERCOME BEFORE SPEAKING OF THETRAUMA MANY STILLCARRY.AND WITH THOUSANDS OFAFTERSHOCKS THAT OCCUR NEARRIDGECREST ON A DAILY BASIS...THE CONSISTANT JOLTS ARE AREMINDER OF WHAT HAPPENED THATHOLIDAY WEEKEND LASTYEAR AND HOW IT AFFECTED THEBUSINESSES THAT MEAN SO MUCH TOTHE COMMUNITY.SOUND AND VIDEO FROMEARTHQUAKESHAKING HOUSETHE 6.4 AND 7.1 EARTHQUAKES THATRATTLED RIDGECREST INJULY 2019 WERE THE BIGGEST TOHIT CALIFORNIA IN NEARLY TWODECADES."OH MY GOD GET UNDER THE TABLE,OMG."THE BACK-TO-BACK QUAKES WERE AHAUNTING REMINDER, THATDESTRUCTION IS PART OFCALIFORNIA'S DNA, STORED BENEATHTHE SURFACE."PEOPLE TEND TO FORGET, THIS ISTHEEARTHQUAKE STATE.""IT WAS VERY SHAKY, VERYVIOLENT, IT JUSTTERRIFIED EVERYBODY."DOZENS OF HOMES WERE RED TAGGED,DISPLACINGHUNDREDS OF PEOPLE.SOUND OF CARS NEAR THEATERTHE RIDGECREST CINEMAS --"THE ROOF ..

THE ROOF CAVED INON IT."IT'S THE COMMUNITY'S ONLYTHEATER AND WOULDTYPICALLY PACK A FULL HOUSE ONANY SUMMER NIGHT... BUT ONTHE FRIDAY THE 7.1 HIT...THEREWAS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE...THETHEATHERS WERE CLOSED..."THIS IS LIKE ONE OF THE MAINTHINGS THATWE HAVE TO DO..."RESIDENTS LIKE SONIA GONZALEZVIEWING THE BIG SCREEN WITH ASENSE OF GRATITUDE SINCE IT HASREOPENED."THIS PLACE REALLY BRINGS US ALLTOGETHER SO IT'S JUST AMAZING TOHAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TOCOME AND WATCH MOVIES."BUT FOR THE OTHER STAPLE IN THECOMMUNITY, THE SIERRABOWLING LANES... A DIFFERENTOUTCOME PLAYED OUT, ACCORDINGTO TIM SMITH, THE EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR OF RIDGECREST'SCHAMBER OF COMMERCE..."THE COST ASSOCIATED WITHREPAIRING AND REPLACING IT WASPROHIBITIVE, SO SINCE JULY 4, WEHAVEN'TBEEN ABLE TO HAVE THE BOWLINGALLEY REOPEN."FOR SOME BUSINESSES, IT WASN'TTHE EARTHQUAKETHAT DELIVERED THE FINAL BLOW...IT WAS THE FINANCIAL BURDENCAUSED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC."WE'VE LOST TWO RESTUARANTS DUETOTHE SHUTDOWN..

AS THEY WEATHEREDTHE FIRST STORM..

THEY WEREUNABLE TOWEATHER THE SECOND ONE."IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC ANDFEAR OF ANOTHER BIG EARTHQUAKESTRIKING -- MANY RESIDENTS ARELEFT WITH AN ELEVATED SENSETO BE PREPARED... STOCKPILINGGROCERIES AND OTHERESSENTIALS." YOU HAVE TO...JUST INCASETHERE IS A BIGONE... YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOURSUPPLIES..."RIDGECREST POLICE CHIEF JEDMCLAUGHLIN SAYS WHEN THEPANDEMIC HIT, THE CITY HAS HADTO SHIFT SOME OF ITS RESOURCESFROM THE RECOVERY EFFORT TOMITIGATING THE SPREAD OFCOVID-19... CURRENTLY ...OFFICIALS ARESTILL WORKING ON REPAIRINGDAMAGE CAUSED TO SEWER LINESAND ROADWAYS..

WHILE HOPINGBUSINESSES MAKE IT OUT OF THEPANDEMIC STILL OPERATING...STILL AHEAD -- THE GOVERNORSPEAKING OUT ON THE RECENTQUAKES --"IF WE DIDN'T NEED TO BEREMINDED,MOTHER NATURE MADE SURE WE WEREREMINDED OF HER FURY..."WHY LONE PINE AND LAST YEAR'SQUAKES ARE ANOTHERREMINDER TO UTILIZE A NEW TOOLFOR STAYING SAFE... WHENTHIS SPECIAL EDITION OF 23 ABCNEWS AT SIX RETURNS...WELCOME BACK --RECENT QUAKES EVEN PROMPTINGGOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM TOADDRESS IT DURING A DAILYBRIEFING ON COVID-19...NEWSOM SAYING ITS ANOTHERREMINDER FOR CALIFORNIANS TOALWAYS BE PREPARED..."IF WE DIDN'T NEED TO BEREMINDED,MOTHER NATURE MADE SURE WE WEREREMINDED OF HER FURY...""...AS IT RELATES TO ISSUES OFEARTHQUAKES."GOVERNOR NEWSOM ALSORECOMMENDING THAT ALLGOVERNOR NEWSOM ALSORECOMMENDING THAT ALLCALIFORNIANS DOWNLOAD THE "MYSHAKE" EARTHQUAKEEARLY WARNING APP.AND -- THE U-S GEOLOGICALSOCIETY TELLING US MORE ABOUTTHE MY SHAKE APP -- A NEW TOOLTO HELP FAMILIES PREPARE ANDTAKE ACTION DURING A QUAKE...THEY SAY THE MY SHAKE PROTOTYPEAPP AND EMERGENCYALERTS FOR PHONES ARE DESIGNEDTO BE AN EARLYWARNING SYSTEM THAT NOTIFIESCELL PHONE USERS WHENGROUND SHAKING FROM A NEARBYEARTHQUAKE WILL REACH THEM.THAT ALERT HOPEFULLY ALLOWINGTHEM ENOUGH TIME TODUCK AND COVER BEFORE THE QUAKESTRIKES.EXPERTS SAY THE TIME OF THENOTIFICATION ALL DEPENDS ON HOWCLOSE YOU ARE TO THEEPICENTER..."THE WAVES ARE TRAVELING OUT FROMTHE EARTHQUAKE, THE SYSTEMCALCULATESAS FAST AS IT CAN AND SENDS OUTTHE ALERT.

IF YOU'RE REALLYNEARBY THEWAVES GOT TO YOU BEFORE THEALERT DID AND IF YOU'RE FURTHERAWAY ANDTHE WAVES ARE TAKING LONGER TOGET THERE BUT YOU GET THE ALERTAS THESAME TIME AS THE SYSTEM.

PEOPLEIN LA GOT THE ALERT AT THE SAMETIME ASBAKERSFIELD BUT YOU GOT THEWAVES BECAUSE YOU ARE CLOSER."DOCTOR JONES SAYS THE SYSTEM ISTO ALERT YOU TO THE QUAKEAND THE GOAL IS TO GET THEEMERGENCY ALERT TO NEARBYUSERS BEFORE THEY FEEL ANYSHAKING.THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN ANDSOMETIMES YOU MAY FEEL THEWAVES BEFORE RECEIVING THE ALERTHERE IN BAKERSFIELD.OFFICIALS SAYING FOR MY SHAKE TOWORK -- YOU MUST HAVELOCATION SERVICES ENABLED.

FORINFORMATION ON HOW TO GET THE MYSHAKE APP - HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE-- TURN TO 23 DOT COM.

THISSPECIAL EDITION OF 23 ABC NEWSAT SIX WILL BE RIGHT BACK.THAT'S GOING TO DO IT FOR THISSPECIAL EDITION OF 23ABC NEWS...YOU CAN FIND ALL OF THE STORIESYOU SAW TONIGHT AND IMPORTANTINFORMATION RELATED TOEARTHQUAKES ON OUR WEBSITETURNTO23 DOT COM.THANK YOU FOR JOINING US...GOODNIGHT.