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A 4.9-magnitude earthquake hits Ridgecrest one week after powerful temblor

Posted at 7:54 AM, Jul 12, 2019
and last updated 2019-07-12 10:44:06-04

A 4.9-magnitude earthquake was reported near Ridgecrest, California, on Friday morning — one week after a 7.1-magnitude temblor struck Southern California, the US Geological Survey said.

The region was originally hit on July 4 with a 6.4 earthquake, followed by a 7.1-magnitude quake the following day.

The latest moderate earthquake briefly rattled CNN’s Los Angeles bureau.

Last week’s major earthquake was centered 11 miles northeast of Ridgecrest, the USGS said. It unleashed 11 times the amount of energy of the previous day’s quake, also centered near Ridgecrest, said CNN Meteorologist Brandon Miller.

Though area residents are used to earthquakes, the tremor last Friday night swayed buildings and cracked streets and foundations, sending terrified locals into the streets.

The shaking was felt as far away as Mexico and Las Vegas, according to the USGS.

Ridgecrest, a desert town, is home to 28,000 people.

The region at one point saw an average of one aftershock per minute since Friday’s quake, according to the US Geological Survey website.

More than 4,700 quakes have occurred since July 4, said USGS geophysicist John Bellini.