SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA – After Southern California was hit with two major earthquakes in a two-day period, the United States Geological Survey estimates the economic losses due to damage to be around $1 billion.

The first earthquake was a 6.4 magnitude hitting Ridgecrest on July 4. The second earthquake was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake that hit the same area on July 5.

The resulting shaking from the earthquake was felt by millions of Southern California residents, including Los Angeles and even as far as Las Vegas.

The USGS predicts that up to 330 aftershocks with a magnitude of a 3 or higher could occur this week. A 3 magnitude aftershock or higher can be felt in the area surrounding the epicenter. 

USGS scientists are out in the field to assess the impacted areas for fault displacements, or offsets in roads, in addition to structural damage.

Ridgecrest is a city in Kern County with a population of 28,000 people.

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