California hit by FOURTH earthquake in just over 24 hours

Published

1 year ago

January 18, 2025

READ MORE: California rocked by another earthquake amid the wildfires

California was rocked by an earthquake early Friday, marking the fourth to hit the state in over 24 hours.

A magnitude 2.8 was detected 180 miles north of Los Angeles, where fires are blazing, at 3:32am PT, which hit three hours after another 2.8 in San Jose.

The latest earthquake registered a 2.8 magnitude and occurred approximately 15 miles southeast of Avenal at 3:32 a.m.

The US Geological Survey also reported a third 2.8 magnitude San Bernardino County on Thursday and a 3.0 magnitude hit Salton City Wednesday.

The four quakes occurred along the San Andreas fault – the volatile boundary between two tectonic plates: the Pacific plate and the North American plate. It runs 800 miles along the coast of California.

Scientists have said that the West Coast is overdue for a massive quake along the San Andreas fault, which would measure magnitude 8 or higher.

While no injuries or damage was reported, the seismic activity followed a deadly stretch of wildfires in Southern California that began on January 7.

California was rocked by an earthquake early Friday, marking the fourth to hit the state in over 24 hours

Killing at least 25 people, the series of 30 wildfires has been reduced substantially to four fires as of Thursday. Two of the largest remain active.

Both the southern and northern sections of the San Andreas fault have a roughly equal likelihood of generating a high-magnitude earthquake in the next few decades.

The ‘Big One’ would measure an 8.0 magnitude or above, causing roughly 1,800 deaths, 50,000 injuries and $200 billion in damage, according to the Great California Shakeout.

Experts are ‘fairly confident that there could be a pretty large earthquake at some point in the next 30 years,’ Angie Lux, project scientist for Earthquake Early Warning at the Berkeley Seismology Lab, told DailyMail.co

Friday’s quake reached an intensity level of IV on the Community Internet Intensity Map, a level that indicates light shaking.

As of Friday morning, nearly 100 people submitted reports to the USGS, nothing that they had felt the earthquake.

Around the same number of people felt the other three earthquakes in the last few days.

While no injuries or damage was reported, the seismic activity followed a deadly stretch of wildfires in Southern California that began on January 7

Devastation was left behind by the Eaton Fire in a neighborhood on Friday in Altadena, CA, a city that felt Thursday’s earthquake

But earthquake that hit Thursday was just 65 miles away from Los Angeles.

Firefighters are still battling the Palisades Fire , which is the most destructive blaze in the city’s history, as well as the Eaton and Hurst fires. The three other blazes are now fully contained.

The National Weather Service added that the respite for fire-ravaged Los Angeles will be short, with high chances for renewed Red Flag warnings – when ideal fire conditions of high winds and low humidity dominate – starting again on Sunday.

The fires have damaged or destroyed more than 12,000 homes and other structures, and forced as many as 200,000 people from their homes.

Some 82,400 people were under evacuation orders and another 90,400 faced evacuation warnings as of Wednesday, County Sheriff Robert Luna said.

Entire neighborhoods have been leveled, leaving smoldering ash and rubble. Many homes only have a chimney stack left standing.

Some 8,500 firefighters from the western United States, Canada and Mexico have kept the growth of the fires in check for three days.

The Palisades Fire on the west edge of the city held steady at 23,713 acres burned, and containment nudged up to 19 per cent – a measurement of how much of the perimeter was under control. The Eaton Fire in the foothills east of the city stood at 14,117 acres with containment at 45 per cen

Gunmen k!ll President General of Ogidi community and one other in Anambra.

Published

6 hours ago

February 7, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Unidentified gunmen, suspected to be cultists, have k!lled a community leader and one other person in Anambra State.

The President-General of Ogidi community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Ikwuka Okoye, popularly known as Anumili (pictured above), was k!lled on Friday, Feb. 6.

The attack was alleged to have been carried out by members of a rival cult group in revenge for the de@th of their leader, who was arrested and k!lled by local security operatives.

During the attack, which took place at the School Field, Ogidi, another man whose identity has yet to be ascertained was also gunned down.

The spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident in a press statement on Saturday.

Ikenga said the incident is allegedly linked to the recent capture and k!lling of a known notorious cultist within the community.

He said, “The Anambra State Police Command regrets the murd£r of the President-General of the Ogidi community and one other person. The incident, which occurred on the evening of February 6, 2026, at the School Field, Ogidi, is allegedly linked to the recent capture and k!lling of a known notorious cultist within the community.

“Following the report, police operatives swiftly took over the scene of the incident and commenced investigations. The command is currently working with eyewitness accounts and other available intelligence to identify and arrest the perpetrators.

“The Anambra State Police Command assures members of the public that all efforts are being intensified to bring those responsible to justice.

“Residents are urged to remain calm and cooperate with the police as investigations continue.

“Further developments will be communicated in due course.”

Police bust syndicate behind nude photo blackmail in Lagos

Published

21 hours ago

February 6, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Men of the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Lagos, have apprehended three suspects who allegedly run a cyber blackmail and extortion scheme in the state.

According to the spokesperson of the unit, DSP Ovie Ewhubare, the suspects get a hold of their victims explicit photos and then threaten to release them if a ransom is not paid.

He said that the suspects, two males and a female, were apprehended after a petition was filed by a complainant who reported being repeatedly threatened by unknown individuals demanding money.

“The complainant received several phone calls in which the callers threatened to release her nude photographs to the public if she failed to pay them. Acting out of fear and emotional distress, she transferred money to the suspects.

The situation escalated when the suspects demanded an additional N10 million, prompting her to formally petition the police,” he said

The police imagemaker state dthat upon receipt of the complaint, the Commissioner of Police, PSFU, Mr Kayode Ojapinwa, ordered the immediate deployment of operatives to investigate the matter.

“The investigation led to the arrest of the three suspects. Investigations revealed that one of the suspects gained unlawful access to the complainant’s mobile device and fraudulently transferred her nude photographs to his own device. Further findings indicated that he conspired with the other suspects and other accomplices currently at large to demand and receive money from the complainant in several tranches,” he said

According to him, the suspects are currently in police custody and are expected to be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction.

The image maker said that investigations were ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate and to recover all proceeds of the alleged crime.

Catholic Priest Collapses And D!es In Front Of Congregation While Walking To Tabernacle To Return Holy Communion

Published

1 day ago

February 6, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

A Catholic priest has tragically passed away after suddenly collapsing in front of the congregation during Sunday mass.

The tragic incident took place last Sunday, February 1 in Wiesmath in the district of Wiener Neustadt, Austria.

Shortly after administering Holy Communion, 59-year-old priest Raimund Beisteiner was about to return the host to the tabernacle when he “suddenly” collapsed, according to a statement from the Archdiocese of Vienna.

“Despite immediate professional assistance, he di£d in the church,” the statement said.

The mayor of Wiesmath, Erich Rasner, had also attended the Mass with many other believers and witnessed the dramatic scenes.

The shock in Wiesmath at the loss of the popular priest is great. Beisteiner had shaped the spiritual life of the parish for almost two decades and was highly regarded far beyond the community.

Rasner praised him as an “extremely conscientious, sensitive priest” and also emphasized the personal loss of a friendship that had grown over many years.

A prayer service was organized at short notice for the late priest. It was attended by numerous priests from the deanery as well as Archbishop Josef Grünwidl.