Photo: USGS HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockA magnitude 6.4 earthquake rocked Southern California on Thursday, and was reportedly felt as far away as Mexico.The U.S. Geological Survey confirms the quake started at around 10:30 a.m. local time, with seismologists pinpointing the epicenter of the quake as 11 miles northeast of Ridgecrest, California.The epicenter was 109 miles north of San Bernardino and 121 miles northeast of Los Angeles.The quake jolted the area as many began preparations for July 4th celebrations.A short time after the quake, aftershocks measuring 4.7, 4.2, 3.8 and 3.5 hit the same area, according to the USGS.Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones noted on Twitterthe epicenter was not located along the major San Andreas fault, but on a strikeslip fault, in “an area with a lot of little faults but no long fault.”Jones wrote that the same area had several quakes larger than magnitude 5.0 during the 1980s.“Bigger quakes last for a longer time,” she said; Thursday’s quake was estimated to have lasted 20 seconds. “The fault was producing energy for about 5 seconds. What you feel is that plus reverberations.”Thus far, there have been no reported injuries, butthe San Bernardino County Fire Department noted on Twitterthat buildings and roads sustained damage in Trona.The fire department also confirmed water mains had been impacted and that power lines had been felled. Rockslides were also reported.Jones explained that Thursday’s earthquake was the largest to hit Southern California in nearly 20 years, when a 7.1-magnitude quake hit the Hector Mine area in late 1999.
Photo: USGS HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake rocked Southern California on Thursday, and was reportedly felt as far away as Mexico.The U.S. Geological Survey confirms the quake started at around 10:30 a.m. local time, with seismologists pinpointing the epicenter of the quake as 11 miles northeast of Ridgecrest, California.The epicenter was 109 miles north of San Bernardino and 121 miles northeast of Los Angeles.The quake jolted the area as many began preparations for July 4th celebrations.A short time after the quake, aftershocks measuring 4.7, 4.2, 3.8 and 3.5 hit the same area, according to the USGS.Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones noted on Twitterthe epicenter was not located along the major San Andreas fault, but on a strikeslip fault, in “an area with a lot of little faults but no long fault.”Jones wrote that the same area had several quakes larger than magnitude 5.0 during the 1980s.“Bigger quakes last for a longer time,” she said; Thursday’s quake was estimated to have lasted 20 seconds. “The fault was producing energy for about 5 seconds. What you feel is that plus reverberations.”Thus far, there have been no reported injuries, butthe San Bernardino County Fire Department noted on Twitterthat buildings and roads sustained damage in Trona.The fire department also confirmed water mains had been impacted and that power lines had been felled. Rockslides were also reported.Jones explained that Thursday’s earthquake was the largest to hit Southern California in nearly 20 years, when a 7.1-magnitude quake hit the Hector Mine area in late 1999.
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake rocked Southern California on Thursday, and was reportedly felt as far away as Mexico.
The U.S. Geological Survey confirms the quake started at around 10:30 a.m. local time, with seismologists pinpointing the epicenter of the quake as 11 miles northeast of Ridgecrest, California.
The epicenter was 109 miles north of San Bernardino and 121 miles northeast of Los Angeles.
The quake jolted the area as many began preparations for July 4th celebrations.
A short time after the quake, aftershocks measuring 4.7, 4.2, 3.8 and 3.5 hit the same area, according to the USGS.
Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones noted on Twitterthe epicenter was not located along the major San Andreas fault, but on a strikeslip fault, in “an area with a lot of little faults but no long fault.”
Jones wrote that the same area had several quakes larger than magnitude 5.0 during the 1980s.
“Bigger quakes last for a longer time,” she said; Thursday’s quake was estimated to have lasted 20 seconds. “The fault was producing energy for about 5 seconds. What you feel is that plus reverberations.”
Thus far, there have been no reported injuries, butthe San Bernardino County Fire Department noted on Twitterthat buildings and roads sustained damage in Trona.
The fire department also confirmed water mains had been impacted and that power lines had been felled. Rockslides were also reported.
Jones explained that Thursday’s earthquake was the largest to hit Southern California in nearly 20 years, when a 7.1-magnitude quake hit the Hector Mine area in late 1999.
source: people.com
