GUADALUPE VICTORIA, Mexico, April 4 (UPI) -- A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck in Baja California, Mexico, Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
The quake struck at 3:40 p.m. PDT about 16 miles south-southwest of Guadalupe Victoria and about 108 miles from Tijuana, Baja California, authorities said. Caltech seismologists initially said it was a magnitude 6.9 quake but they updated that figure about an hour after the quake struck.
They called it the strongest quake in the region in almost 20 years and estimated about 20 million people felt it in the Southwest and Mexico, the Los Angeles Times reported.
USGS seismologist Lucy Jones said an aftershock of about 6 magnitude is likely in the next few says. She said a triggered quake -- another term for aftershock -- of 4.1 magnitude was observed in the Santa Monica Bay area following the Baja California quake.
There were reports the quake was felt as far away as Bakersfield, Calif., north of Los Angeles and as far east as Phoenix. Witnesses reported a gentle rolling motion that lasted for about 40 seconds.
Cesar Garcia, an editor at Chanel 12 TV, Tijuana, told the Los Angeles Times several people were injured when a two-story parking garage next to the Mexicali government headquarters collapsed. He said the government building was damaged, a local hospital was evacuated and patients were transferred to other facilities.
KABC-TV, Los Angeles, reported some people were trapped in an elevator in a high-rise hotel at the Disneyland resort in Orange County, Calif. Park officials said all rides at the resort were shut down for a time following the quake, the TV station reported.
Rides were shut down for about 20 minutes for inspection at Knott's Berry Farm, a theme park near Disneyland. Park spokesman Willie Parker told the Times no one was stranded on any rides.
San Diego Gas & Electricity reported scattered power outages but said service was restored within about three hours to all but about 4,500 customers.
The Los Angeles Fire Department reported a slight rise in emergency calls, mostly due to automatic alarms and elevator shutdowns, but said there were no reports of major damage.
