7.2 Quake South of Calif/Arizona Border

[Richard Myers]

A strong earthquake south of the U.S.-Mexico border Sunday swayed high-rises in downtown Los Angeles and San Diego and was felt across Southern California and Arizona, knocking out power and breaking pipes in some areas but causing no major damage.

The 7.2-magnitude quake struck at 3:40 p.m. in Baja California, Mexico, about 19 miles southeast of Mexicali, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was initially reported as a magnitude-6.9 quake. The updated magnitude was still an estimate, according to USGS seismologist Lucy Jones.

The area was hit by magnitude-3.0 quakes all week.  source

[Mimi]

At quake's epicenter, water gurgled from ground
Source

By ELLIOT SPAGAT (AP) – 4 hours ago

GUADALUPE VICTORIA, Mexico — After the ground shook violently, small cracks formed on the rich soil and cement floors. They quickly became big cracks, spouting groundwater.

That's how the Briseno family watched all seven of their homes sink to ruin on a single block, forcing them to sleep in their cars indefinitely.

The family has one of the more dramatic tales of loss from the epicenter of Easter Sunday's 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Mexico that has left many afraid to go inside, whether at home or at work.

"The earth just opened up, like a pencil goes across a sheet of paper, like a stripe goes across the floor," said Diona Garcia Briseno, the oldest of five siblings, who lost a home that she shared with her husband and their two children, 18 and 10.

[Mimi]

The quake was centered 16 miles southwest of Guadalupe Victoria in Baja, and about 110 miles southeast of Tijuana, and generated shocks felt as far away as Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Three strong aftershocks with magnitudes of about 5.0 followed Monday a.m.

The quake killed two people in northern Mexico and injured at least 100, as well as damaging buildings and causing blackouts, gas leaks, phone line damage, and a whole lot of mess. But despite the magnitude of this quake, it didn't have the disastrous impact of the 1994 Northridge earthquake, which killed 72 and caused $20 billion in damage. - The Village Voice

[Richard Myers]

The Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Mexico continue to offer aid to hundreds of families affected by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake, which hit northwestern Mexico earlier this month.

The quake killed two people, injured hundreds, and damaged about 5,000 homes in the region. In all, 25,000 lives were disrupted.

Five Adventist churches in the region sustained damage, said Adan Dyck, president of the church in the Baja California region. All five buildings remain closed until the state government office approves the structures for occupation.

About 135 Adventist families lost their homes and many more are living in shelters, said Pastor Osvaldo Arrieta, executive secretary for the church in North Mexico.

According to Pastor Edgar Sanchez, local ADRA coordinator in the Baja California region, worship services are being held in small group settings until the churches are deemed safe to enter. Local pastors and elders continue to minister to the needs of members who are living in tents in the surrounding parks and open fields.

"People are afraid to go inside their homes because there are dozens of aftershocks, from the large fault that runs in that area," says Sanchez. According to reports, as many as 30 aftershocks occurred in just a few days following the earthquake.

Rafael Garcia, ADRA Mexico director, said his team was able to distribute more than 1,000 food baskets, half supplied by ADRA and half supplied by local Adventist churches.

There are nearly 2,000 Seventh-day Adventists in Mexicali.

Source: Adventist News Network  4/20/10