A magnitude 4.9 earthquake shook the Susanville area in Lassen County in Northern California two days after another sizable quake, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. The 3-mile deep quake hit 9 miles from Susanville at 9:49 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30, according to the USGS.

Depopulation and shrinking tax revenues are making it harder for the country to maintain basic lifelines or rebuild after disasters.

"Over that vast time, the rough edges and bends in the fault have been ground down," first author Eric Lindsey, a geoscientist at the University of New Mexico, said in a statement. "Because it is so smooth and straight, the earthquake rupture could travel very efficiently across a huge distance."

The strong earthquake left local businesses concerned about a talent drain. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

January 1 marks two years since a massive earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula in central Japan. The region is still reeling from the disaster, whose death toll, including people who died later from related causes,

Following the 6.2 magnitude earthquake, there were no immediate reports of major injuries or severe damage to infrastructure.

A magnitude-7.0 earthquake jolted Taiwan late Saturday and was felt by residents across the whole island, according to the Central Weather Administration, or CWA. The quake hit at 11:05 pm (1505 GMT) at a depth of 72.

The 4.9-magnitude quake struck at 9:49pm local time near Susanville, California, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS), prompting widespread ShakeAlert notifications urging residents to “drop,