Southern California Shaken by 4.3 Magnitude Earthquake Near Los Angeles
On Thursday morning, a magnitude-4.3 earthquake struck near Rialto, just outside San Bernardino, shaking a wide stretch of Southern California, including Los Angeles, Orange County, and other inland areas.
The Rialto Fire Department reported a series of small earthquakes Thursday morning.
- The first earthquake, a magnitude-3.0, struck about 8:34 a.m.
- Followed by a magnitude-2.8 earthquake about eight minutes later.
- Two smaller earthquakes occurred over about 13 minutes.
- Before the magnitude-4.3 hit, according to USGS.
The magnitude-4.3 earthquake hit at 9:32 a.m., followed by several smaller aftershocks. Though the shaking startled thousands, with over 6,000 people reporting it to the USGS, no injuries or damage were reported.
At least five aftershocks were reported as of 11 a.m. Thursday, said Gabrielle Tepp, a staff seismologist for Caltech. “The largest was a magnitude 3.1, a few minutes after the mainshock,” Tepp said. “These are expected.”
Seismologist Lucy Jones said the earthquakes were a small swarm in the Fontana Trend. . . “It’s a place that has lots of little earthquakes, and they do often come in little clusters, like this one,” she said.”
This is the second noticeable quake in the region in just three days, reinforcing the need for ongoing earthquake preparedness. While moderate in strength, events like this remind us of the continued activity of California’s fault lines and the importance of being prepared.
For live updates, safety resources, and earthquake preparedness tips, please visit the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.
Reports from this earthquake
Looking ahead as of late morning, multiple aftershocks had been reported. This earthquake is a timely reminder for individuals and businesses alike to revisit emergency plans, review evacuation procedures, and ensure readiness for future seismic activity.
A homeowner in Fontana, CA states:
“Was trying to fall asleep after the first 2 quakes, and this one hit HARD. Stuff fell off shelves and broke. Scared the bajeebies out of all of us.”
Another homeowner in Loma Linda, CA states:
“Felt it here in Loma Linda, California, at 9:34 a.m. Felt a jolt like a shake. Last, at about 10 seconds, I rate it on a scale of 1 to 10 with a shake at about a 5.”
Protect You and Your Family
- Government-issued alerts for your country or region
- Alerts for imminent threats to safety or life
- Alerts for extreme weather conditions
- AMBER Alerts (America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response)
- Public Safety Alerts
- Additional details provided by the alert originator
Did you know that your homeowner insurance policy does not cover earthquake damage?
Given the risk, now is the time to consider how earthquake insurance will provide the protection you don’t get from your homeowners insurance policy:
- According to a recent three-year data sample, an average of five earthquakes with magnitudes between 5.0 and 6.0 occur yearly in California.
- The probability of an earthquake measuring magnitude 6.7 in the next 30 years is 60% in the Los Angeles area and 72% in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Your home equity continues to grow while the risk of a devastating earthquake increases, too. Are you prepared to lose all of your hard-earned equity in an instant? And if you experience a total loss, can you afford to rebuild? Now (not afterward) is the right time to consider your Earthquake Insurance options.
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Source: The LA Times
