Aftershocks Close Imperial Beach School

A South Bay elementary school was closed Friday because of damage done Thursday by aftershocks from the July 8 earthquake centered near Palm Springs.

Supt. Philip Grignon of the South Bay Union School District decided to close Bayside Elementary School after an inspection revealed structural damage, Imperial Beach Mayor Bill Russell said. The building, 309 Emory St., was being used for summer school.

The 250 students had been dismissed around noon Thursday and were not in the building at 1:46 p.m. when the first aftershock was reported. That tremor measured 4.6 on the Richter scale, said Jan Decker of the San Diego County Office of Disaster Preparedness. The second aftershock was reported at 2:55 p.m. Thursday and measured 4.4 on the Richter scale.

Russell said the aftershocks damaged the building’s roof and its beams.

Students enrolled at Bayside were transferred to Harbor View School, Russell said. “There should not be any transportation or overcrowding problem for these students this summer,” he said. “The schools are two blocks apart.”

But Russell said that, if Bayside does not reopen by September, the district could face an overcrowding problem.

“We had an overcrowding problem last fall,” Russell said. “This closure will only exacerbate the problem.”

Oneonta School at 1311 10th St. also sustained damage during a Sunday earthquake centered off the coast of Solana Beach, Russell said.

A structural engineer will check damage at both schools next week to determine if the schools can reopen in the fall, Russell said.

Authorities have not estimated the cost of repairs.