Fire officials say as many as 50 structures in the small town of Trona were damaged by the magnitude 7.1 earthquake Friday night in Southern California.
In addition, San Bernardino County Supervisor Robert Lovingood said Saturday that damaged water lines prompted FEMA to deliver a tractor-trailer full of bottled water to the town, and firefighters were checking numerous reports of gas leaks.
The town was temporarily cut off after the earthquake, when officials shut down a highway connecting Trona to Ridgecrest because of rockslides and cracks in the roadway.
Julia Doss, who maintains the Trona Neighborhood Watch page on Facebook, said residents reported that chimneys and entire walls collapsed during the quake.
She said the only food store in town has been shuttered.
The hardscrabble town with 1,500 residents on the edge of a dry lake bed is considered the gateway to Death Valley.
All of us at at the SBSD want to express our support for the residents of Trona. Their resilience in the aftermath of two devastating earthquakes is inspiring. Capt. Markegard, Trona deputies, and additional staff are dedicated to your security and recovery effort. #TronaStrong
— John McMahon (@sheriffmcmahon) July 7, 2019
Trona resource update: Point of Distribution for bottled water: Trona High School, 83600 Trona Rd. Anyone in need can receive one case of water per vehicle until 8:00 pm. Distribution will resume at 8:00 am to 8:00 pm 7/7/19. Also Portable toilets available for resident use.
— San Bernardino County Sheriff (@sbcountysheriff) July 7, 2019
UPDATE: Commodity Point of Distribution (CPOD) for bottled water has been est. at Trona High School, located at 83600 Trona Rd in Trona. Anyone in need can receive 1 case of water per vehicle until 8:00 pm tonight. Operations will resume at 8:00 am- 8:00 pm Sunday, July 7, 2019
— San Bernardino County Sheriff (@sbcountysheriff) July 6, 2019
Advisory for State Route 178: Trona near the epicenter of the earthquakes needs help with bottled water. As you consider a response please check Caltrans QuickMap for current road conditions. @Quickmap @Caltrans8 @CaltransHQ https://t.co/mAZAuH3SLv pic.twitter.com/6EdS2gHlJZ
— Caltrans District 8 (@Caltrans8) July 6, 2019