California Governor Gavin Newsom requested a presidential emergency declaration for federal assistance after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck the state Friday.
“On behalf of all Californians, I offer my heartfelt support to those affected by tonight’s earthquake near Ridgecrest. The State of California will continue to offer support to aid residents in the region,” the governor said in a press release Saturday.
Reports said that the magnitude 7.1 earthquake is the largest to hit the area in decades.
“Earlier this evening I formally requested a Presidential Emergency Declaration for Direct Federal Assistance to further support emergency response and recovery in impacted communities,” the Office of the Governor of California tweeted Friday.
The earthquake shook the town of Ridgecrest, near Death Valley National Park, on Friday evening. Reports state that the tremor hit the area with eight times more force than the 6.4 quake that affected the area not 34 hours prior. – READ MORE