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La Habra Community Still Coping With Quake Damage Sympathizes With Napa Residents

LA HABRA (CBSLA.com) — Residents in La Habra have had a taste of what people in Napa have to deal with in the aftermath of the 6.0-magnitude earthquake that damaged their community Sunday.

Repairs are underway on some of the most severely damaged buildings in the north Orange County suburb after a 5.1-magnitude quake in March.

"You could see from the front of the house to the back of the house outside," said Fullerton resident Linda Trent, who's had to shell out approximately $40,000 for repairs.

She wishes earthquake insurance were more affordable and that getting through the building process had been easier.

There are big cracks running along the outside of her house and along her swimming pool.

But Trent said it's nothing compared to what Napa residents are going through.

"I feel sorry for them. I'm OK; I just have to throw money at it to fix it. And they have a lot more serious problems than we did here, that's for sure" she said.

In Brea, a good portion of Fanning Elementary School is closed due to earthquake damage.

Asbestos dislodged during the earthquake in several classrooms. It had to be removed. The entire space has been cleaned and undergone seismic retrofitting. There is nothing currently inside the classrooms.

"We're currently about eight weeks behind schedule. We had hoped to be getting into the actual reconstruction phase at the end of June, but obviously now, we're at the end of August, and we're going to begin that process soon," said Superintendent Skip Roland of the Brea Olinda Unified School District.

About 330 students, all between second and sixth grades, will spend the first few months of the school year at Laurel Elementary nearby.

Pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first-grade students will come to Fanning when school starts in September because their classrooms weren't affected by the quake.

Despite all of this, Fanning Principal Susan Metcalf said she sympathizes with Bay Area residents.

"I feel for the students and families at those schools. What we've learned through this experience is that, in life, there are challenges and unexpected events. And you just have to wake up each day, have a positive attitude, and get through the day, but it is a long process," the principal said.

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