California earthquake – Magnitude 7.1 – Strongest tremors

California faced some foreshocks and then was hit by a strong earthquake of magnitude 7.1, eleven times stronger last Friday.

The above picture represents California earthquake activity for past forty years. This earthquake map is distributed in whole California pointing out major areas being hit with time.

Southern California has been shaken by its biggest seismic tremor in two decades as a 7.1-magnitude tremor shook structures and cut power supplies in parts of Los Angeles yet did not cause real harm or passings, California earthquake authorities said.

There are a lot of burned and cracked buildings including broken roads, leaking gas and water lines. This severe earthquake was observed from Sacramento to Mexico. The governor, Gavin Newsom, declared a state of emergency and warned residents to be wary of new tremors, after the southern part of the state was hit by a second significant earthquake in as many days. Damage is still being assessed by California earthquake crews.

Kern county’s fire chief, David Witt, said there were no known fatalities but damage had not been fully assessed.

We do feel like there is damage but we don’t know the extent of it yet,” Witt said at a news conference, according to CNN. “Nobody was trapped, no major collapses that we know of, but we are out there searching.

Some people recorded their earthquake experience live.

Some tips for safety during earthquake

Following checklist might be helpful as precautions

• Place large or heavy objects on lower shelves.
• Store breakable items, such as bottled foods, glass and china, in low, closed cabinets with latches.
• Install flexible pipe fittings to avoid gas and water leaks.
• Repair deep cracks in ceilings and foundations
• Be sure the home is firmly anchored to its foundation.
• Keep heavy, unstable objects away from doors and exit routes.
• Install strong latches on kitchen cabinets.

Following measure can be taken when you are stuck indoor during earthquake

• Drop down and take cover under a desk or table. Be prepared to hold on until the shaking stops.
• Stay inside until the shaking stops and it is safe to exit.
• If you are in bed – hold on and stay there. Protect your head with a pillow to protect yourself from things coming down.
• Stay away from windows and light fixtures.

You can also consider reading this good book: Little Earthquakes (Remastered) to get a through knowledge about earthquakes and how you can try to be safe during such calamity. You can also setup or purchase any basic Earthquake Kit as precautionary measures.