All Multimedia

Razorbill with Atlantic herring in bill on Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge.

On July 8, 2019, California Geological Survey and USGS geologists and geophysicists with National Guard and Navy personnel, view the road damage resulting from 3 to 5 feet of right-lateral motion near the expected maximum slip locality along the primary tectonic rupture associated with the M 7.1 Ridgecrest earthquake on July 5, 2019.

USGS Earthquake Science Center Mobile Laser Scanning truck operated by Ben Brooks and Todd Ericksen scanning the surface rupture near the zone of maximum surface displacement of the M7.1 Searles Valley earthquake.

Oblique photograph showing surface faulting from the M7.1 Searles Valley earthquake. The dirt track (center) is right-laterally offset approximately 2.5 m (~8 ft).

USGS Geologists Beth Haddon and Josie Nevitt measure fault displacement along the principal rupture.

USGS geologists Josie Nevitt and Beth Haddon make measurements of fault rupture.

USGS Geophysicists Elizabeth Cochran and Nick VanDerElst install a seismometer on the base.

USGS geodesist Todd Ericksen sets up GPS surveying equipment on July 5th.

USGS geophysicist Ken Hudnut demonstrating Drop Cover and Hold Technique during the foreshock sequence to the M7.1 Searles Valley earthquake.

Aerial view shot from Blackhawk helicopter overflight on July 6 of the zone of high surface displacement.

USGS geologist Josie Nevitt and geodesist Todd Ericksen collect a sample from the fault zone of the main rupture.

Truck scanning road offset on the base with USGS geologist Josie Nevitt walking along side.

Vertical fault rupture on road with truck.

Highway 178 SW of Trona. Taken earlier in the morning July 6, 2019 after the M7.1 earthquake which struck eastern California, southwest of Searles Valley, near Ridgecrest, CA.

Fault scarp at offset access road site. Center line has been offset up and to the right as one looks across the fault towards the east.

Fault scarp close to the epicenter. In this location the fault has a main strand where much of the slip occurred, as well as distributed fractures.

California State Route 178 SW of Trona, following the M7.1 earthquake. Road is now closed for repairs. 

Scientists from USGS & CGS and Navy escort, and a UCLA engineer from the GEER team, inspect ~12 +/- 3 foot high fault scarp with from 3 to 5 feet of right-lateral motion near the expected maximum slip locality along the primary tectonic rupture associated with the M 7.1 event.

Team discussion among CGS and USGS earthquake scientists at the location of the primary surface fault rupture where is has disrupted and offset an access road at the NAWS China Lake. The fault runs NW to SE across the road, which runs from west to east. The east side of the road is uplifted relative to the west side.

USGS scientist pointing to the fault scarp that shows the fault moved horizontally, as well as laterally.