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Gap right in the middle of California causes complaint (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

cholera

'complaint' is the definition.
(cholera is a kind of disease)

'gap right in the middle of california' is the wordplay.
'gap' becomes 'hole' (hole is a kind of gap).
'right' becomes 'r' (common abbreviation).
'in the middle of' is an insertion indicator.
'california' becomes 'ca'.
'hole'+'r'='holer'
'holer' going within 'ca' is 'CHOLERA'.

'causes' is the link.

(Other definitions for cholera that I've seen before include "Solemn promise" , "Intestinal infection caused by contaminated water or food" , "Deadly, infectious disease" , "Acute intestinal infection from contaminated water or food" , "Infectious and often fatal Asiatic disease" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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