Disneyland Shuts Down Rides After Another Earthquake

A 7.1 magnitude Earthquake hit Southern California on Friday night. According to the United States Geological Survey, the 7.1 magnitude quake came ahead of a 5.5 magnitude Earthquake 20 minutes later. Another 5.5 magnitude quake followed about one hour later.

The 7.1 earthquake is the largest in 20 years. The quake originated near Ridgecrest, California. The city was the site of a 6.4 magnitude Earthquake on Thursday. There have been at least 1,700 recorded aftershocks since then. The first of the follow-up 5.5 earthquakes originated closer to Little Lake, California, according to the USGS. The 7.1 magnitude quake was felt as far north as Sacramento, as far east as Sacramento, and as far south as Mexico.

The quake was felt in Los Angeles, where the Los Angeles Fire Department and Las Angeles Police Department both advised citizens to avoid calling 911 unless they experiencing a true emergency. The LAFD chief later tweeted, “Your @LAFD is no longer in Earthquake Mode after a Citywide survey determined no injuries or significant damage.” California governor Gavin Newsom put the state’s Office of Emergency Services on its highest level. “The state is coordinating mutual aid to local first responders,” he said.

The Disneyland theme park evacuated rides following the shakes so that staff could perform safety checks. All rides were marked as “temporarily closed” on the Disneyland Mobile App. Software engineer Chuck Dries found himself stopped on Space Mountain and tweeted out a video, which you can see above.

“apparently there was an earthquake while we were on space mountain so they stopped it mid ride,” Dries tweeted. “We ended up evacuating on foot. Walking around inside the ride with the lights on was so cool! I would have recorded it but they made us hold on to the railing the whole time. After we got off, we got to walk around backstage but they asked us not to record that”

Six Flags Magic Mountain went through a similar protocol on Friday night. The park’s official Twitter account tweeted out, “The safety of our guests and employees is our top priority and as a precautionary measure, we are conducting an extensive visual, structural, and operational safety checks on all of the rides before re-opening. Visitors to Knott’s Berry Farm reported rides there were shut down as well.

Los Angeles transit was also affected by the earthquakes. Metrolink ceased services and the LAX airport sent officials to terminals ot check on injuries. None were reported.

(h/t THR)