California [US], August 21: In the early morning of August 21 (Vietnam time), a 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck Southern California (USA), north of Los Angeles, while Tropical Storm Hilary was passing through California.
CNN quoted data from the US Geological Survey (USGS) as saying that the earthquake occurred at 4:41 am on August 21 (Vietnam time). The epicenter was located at Ojai, located between Santa Barbara and Ventura in Southern California , and occurred along the Sisar fault.
"There are no reports of damage at this time, but the whole of Ventura County was shaken by the earthquake," according to a statement on the Ventura county website.
Shaking was also reported throughout Los Angeles and surrounding areas, based on a USGS tool that allows residents to report their condition during an earthquake.
At least two aftershocks of magnitude 3.1 and 3.6, respectively, occurred after the initial quake.
Rainstorms are pounding Southern California while Tropical Storm Hilary passes through the US state after raging the Baja California peninsula on August 20 (local time).
Meanwhile, San Diego officials warned the city to prepare for the full impact of Hurricane Hilary within hours, and have allocated resources to quickly respond to power outages and fallen trees.
After leaving San Diego, the storm will move to Los Angeles, where more than 9 million people, including downtown, are facing flash flood warnings.
Officials announced the opening of three more emergency shelters and transportation to help the homeless community evacuate before Hurricane Hilary hits.
Floodwaters also hit Death Valley. Roads within Death Valley were flooded and impassable, park management announced on Instagram.
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Southern California to aid in hurricane response efforts.
In neighboring Nevada, Governor Joe Lombardo also declared a statewide emergency due to the tropical storm.
The US canceled at least 1,030 flights on August 20, and more than 4,016 flights were delayed, according to the website FlightAware.
Source: ThanhNien Newspaper