Ridgecrest recovering one week since initial Fourth of July quake

RIDGECREST, CA. — It has been a week since the Fourth of July earthquake sent shock waves through Southern California.

Residents at the time didn’t know another stronger quake would hit the same area the next day.

“I moved towards the doorway and it just kept shaking. It moved like a foot, foot and a half back and forth, back and forth. Then it just dropped. So it was pretty scary,” said Laura Coffee, a Ridgecrest resident.

Coffee is among many residents trying to recover in the aftermath of the double quakes.

In Ridgecrest alone, more than 80 homes and businesses are red tagged and there are currently 500 requests for inspections.

Officials say FEMA is on the ground completing inspections in order to determine what financial assistance and programs they can offer residents who are in need.

A Local Assistance Center is set up at the Kerr McGee Community Center where county and city officials are on hand guiding people to disaster assistance programs.

Community Action Partnership of Kern is there offering to pay people’s electricity and gas bills.

CAP-K and the American Red Cross are also offering people displaced from their homes temporary housing.

The Local Assistance Center will be set up until Saturday. It is open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.

“Getting here and seeing all the love and support. It is amazing how a community can come together. It is unfortunate that it takes something like this to make it happen,” said Vivian Mosely, a Ridgecrest resident.