Los Angeles, Dec 24: California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency after an earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter Scale hit the state's central coast region, killing two people and injuring 50. Schwarzenegger visited the small city of Paso Robles yesterday, where a collapsing clock tower buried two women when it fell on the street.
The earthquake ''left behind destruction that will take months, if not years, to repair,'' Schwarzenegger said. The earthquake was felt from Los Angeles to San Francisco, more than 600 kilometres to the north.
Dozens of aftershocks measuring up to 4.7 on the Richter Scale rattled the state and more were feared in the days to come. Some 100,000 people had lost power after the earthquake, but power was restored in most homes by yesterday. Bureau Report