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San Diego Experiences 5.2-Magnitude Earthquake

Published

1 week ago

April 14, 2025

san-diego-experiences-5.2-magnitude-earthquake

San Diego earthquake. Credit: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/

A preliminary 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck just south of Julian, East San Diego County, at 10:08 am local time today, on Monday, April 14.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the quake’s epicentre was 2.5 miles (around 4 kilometres) south of Julian, with tremors recorded as far north as Escondido and as far east as Mexicali. The quake followed a smaller 3.5-magnitude tremor in the same area on Sunday afternoon.

Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones, speaking to CNN, confirmed that the event is “likely associated with the Elsinore Fault,” a branch of the wider San Andreas system. She added, “Every earthquake could be a foreshock to something bigger,” explaining there’s roughly a 5 per cent chance of a stronger follow-up quake.

The National Weather Service confirmed that no tsunami is expected. However, the aftershocks came quickly and in succession, with at least seven reported by 10:30 am. The strongest of these was a magnitude 3.0, recorded shortly after the main quake.

While no major injuries have been reported, the psychological and physical impact has been notable. According to NBC 7 San Diego, car alarms echoed through parking garages in Kearny Mesa and construction workers were seen fleeing sites.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said on X, “There’s no known visible or major damage to the city so far and I’m in communication with local, state, and federal officials. Please report any damage in your communities through Get It Done.”

Locals in San Diego regions left shaken

The earthquake left a particularly strong impression on Julian residents. Robin Boland of the Julian Chamber of Commerce told CBS News Los Angeles, “Everybody was outside checking on each other and all the car alarms were going off.” In Carlsbad, a woman named Caroline described it as “a very violent jolt… our whole entire building was swaying… that was the biggest earthquake I’ve felt in a long time.”

Dylan Carniero, working at Mountain Spirits Liquor in Julian, told CBS, “I just hear like consecutive three to four different bursts and pops of different bottles,” after several fell and shattered on the floor.

Elsewhere in Ramona, Ashley Pinnick said, “It felt like my entire roof was going to collapse.”

Preliminary quake: a wider warning for the West Coast?

The quake’s depth is estimated at around 8 miles (13 kilometres). Governor Gavin Newsom’s office confirmed he has been briefed, adding that California is “coordinating with local authorities to assess any damage and if emergency response is needed,” as reported by CNN.

More than 25 million people reportedly experienced some degree of shaking, with the USGS describing it as “moderate” near the epicentre.

View all news from the USA.

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Biggest Cruise Ship To Dock In Mallorca

Published

6 hours ago

April 22, 2025

Adam Woodward

Biggest ship in the world. Credit: Wiki CC

In May, Royal Caribbean’s ‘Allure of the Seas’, the world’s biggest cruise ship, will dock in Palma de Mallorca, bringing a mountain of economic benefits.

Carrying 139,000 turnaround passengers and 2,384 crew members, the ship is expected to generate €8 million in passenger spending and an additional €500,000 from the crew. With 22 eight-hour stopovers planned between May and October, the ship will give a boost to Mallorca’s tourism and commercial activity.

Palma’s Mayor Mateu Isern spoke of the ‘spectacular’ growth of cruise tourism, making Palma Spain’s second-largest cruise destination and the Mediterranean’s fourth. The 362-metre-long ship, with capacity for 6,318 passengers, features seven themed areas, including an Aquatheater, Central Park with 12,000 plants, and Broadway’s musical ‘Chicago’. The Balearic Port Authority’s investments have made Palma an irresistible hub, contributing to a €27 million economic impact across Spain.

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Growth Fuels Budget Boom

Published

13 hours ago

April 22, 2025

Ion Axinescu

Plaza de la Constitución in Torrox. Credit: Creative Commons

Torrox made a new ‘statement’ as the fastest-growing town in the Malaga Province. During an extraordinary plenary session, the Town Hall approved its municipal budget for 2025: €36.3 million. The new budget will come into effect following its publication in the Official Gazette of the Province of Málaga (BOP).

Mayor Óscar Medina named the budget an “expansive” one. The plan is to strengthen Torrox’s economic momentum. According to the mayor, this is just the beginning of “the best years for Torrox.”

Known as the town with the best climate in Europe, Torrox has risen in the last years, with increases in per capita income, job creation, and quality of life. Mayor Medina wants to continue the growth, and he noted that actual spending could exceed €40 million once surplus funds and the town’s lack of deficit are factored in.

The new budget includes more than €3 million in real investments and forecasts an initial gross savings of over €625,000. In the last ten years, while expanding its population and public services, Torrox’s budget has doubled, from €18.6 million to over €36 million.

The local administration says that it will prioritize sustainable urban growth, quality tourism, and long-standing community needs. At the same time, they want to focus on preserving local traditions and identity.

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Drones For Environmental Protection

Published

14 hours ago

April 22, 2025

Ion Axinescu

Drone Unit in Andalusia. Credit: Consejería de Sostenibilidad, Medio Ambiente y Economía Azul

The Junta de Andalucía has introduced drones into the daily operations of its environmental agents to enhance the protection and monitoring of the region’s rich natural heritage.

This new Drone Unit, part of the Ministry for Sustainability and the Environment, is made up of agents trained and certified to operate UAVs under European safety regulations. The unit was launched in 2022 and it evolved all these years.

Now, the agents have expanded their capabilities with a new non-EASA certificate. This allows them to use drones typically excluded from EU aviation regulations, such as those used in police or military operations, for environmental and territorial surveillance.

Drones now assist the agents in essential tasks such as monitoring conservation work in natural spaces, inspecting administrative cases on the ground, or emergency support during wildfires, floods, or missing person searches.

This ‘drone move’ is part of a strategy to modernize and digitize environmental protection efforts in Andalusia. It enhances data analysis, streamlines fieldwork, and supports real-time decision-making in remote areas.

The use of this modern technology strengthens the role of environmental agents as guardians of Andalusia’s forests, biodiversity, and protected areas.

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