City officials in El Centro and Calexico estimate Sunday's quake damage will be at least a $100 million. Calexico's City Manager says the temblor has already cost the city tax money. It's left at least 3,000 people in the Imperial Valley without work.
El Centro officials say quake damage exceeds $80 million, and more reports of damage are coming in.
They say 52 mobile homes were knocked off their foundations. The library, 30 businesses and an apartment complex were red tagged. The hospital will need $35 million in repairs. El Centro officials say a historic water tower downtown must be dismantled and 100 people in apartments nearby were evacuated.
Calexico's City Manager, Victor Carillo, says fixing downtown will cost at least $23 million. He says more than two dozen businesses in the downtown area will reopen today and that will help the economy.
"The historic downtown provides about 60 percent of our sales tax revenue. With it being out, it has a major impact," said Carillo.
Carillo says 260 more businesses around the city remain closed while they await inspection.
El Centro's City Manager, Ruben Duran, says more than 1,700 employees at the Imperial Valley Mall lost at least three days of work.
"The quake did not help unemployment. We're the ones who already had the nation's highest unemployment rate," said Duran.
Both El Centro and Calexico officials plan to file for federal aid once they finish totaling the damage.
The state of California has sent eight structural engineers to Imperial County to help. The state sent thousands of cots, blankets and supplies to Mexicali.
The City of Tijuana and groups on both sides of the border are also collecting emergency supplies.
Baja California's governor says that in Mexicali the quake left at least 25,000 people homeless.
