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  California hit by big earthquake
Updated 23 December 2003, 15.18
Two people have been killed by a US earthquake
One of the biggest earthquakes to hit California in the US in recent years has struck, killing two women.

More than 80 buildings were damaged in the quake, and around 40,000 people were left without power for a while.

Luckily the earthquake didn't happen in an area with lots of buildings, where things could have been much worse.

The town of Pasa Robles suffered most damage, mainly because it was built back in the 1880s from brick and wood and wasn't earthquake-proof.

Rescue workers try to clear rubbish from the streets
Rescue workers try to clear rubbish from the streets
After the quake dozens of smaller ones called aftershocks hit the area.

California sits on top of something called the San Andreas Fault, which is a lengthy gap between two giant pieces of rock far below the ground.

They're often bumping together and pulling apart, which creates the region's many earthquakes.

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