Update 6 – 8:03pm Pacific – At least one person has died in a house collapse in Mexicali, Alfredo Escobedo, director of emergency services in Baja California, Mexico told Reuters. Escobedo told Reuters that electric was out in parts of the city. A parking garage also collapsed but apparently did not cause any fatalities.
USGS officials said that at least 20 million people felt the Easter quake.
Update 5 – 6:37pm Pacific – Callers to KTTV FOX 11 are reporting collapsed buildings and extensive damage to unreinforced masonry structures in Mexicali. Communications said to be difficult and reports are coming in second hand.
Update 4 – 6:05pm Pacific – In a press conference, Dr. Lucy Jones, an expert from USGS, says another earthquake of up to 6.0 magnitude “likely” in the next few days. Officials expect damages saying older construction close to the fault “would have had troubles.”
Unverified images, said to be from Mexicali, Mexico can be found via Twitter here and here.
Early reports indicate damage to structures, power outages and broken pipes in Mexicali.
UPpdate 3 – 5:50pm Pacific – First pictures coming out of Mexicali, Mexico show damage to buildings with unreinforced masonry. Telephone communications are apparently difficult. Click here to see a video of a sloshing pool in Cerritos, CA seconds after the quake.
Update 2 – 5:29pm Pacific – Truthout Deputy Managing Editor Jason Leopold felt the quake for about 10-15 seconds at his home in Beverly Hills, CA. The ceiling of his dining room cracked beginning at the light fixture and extending for about two feet. He and his family were not hurt nor did they suffer serious damage.
Update 1 – 5:06pm Pacific – USGS has increased the preliminary magnitude rating to 7.2. Early estimates put the duration of the earthquake at 45-60 seconds. Aftershocks and small triggered quakes have been felt as far north as Sonoma County, CA.
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News reports and the Did You Feel It? earthquake monitoring project indicate a magnitude 7.2 quake struck Baja California, Mexico. According to preliminary data, the epicenter was 19 miles southeast of the city of Mexicali.
Strong tremors were felt in San Diego and Los Angeles. US Geological Survey officials say that the quake was felt as far north as Santa Barbara and as far east as Las Vegas.
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