Dennis RomeroA magnitude 5.1 earthquake shook Southern California tonight.
The temblor struck at 9:09 p.m. about one mile east of La Habra, where three other quakes – two measuring 3.6 and one measuring 3.4 on the Richter scale – also hit during the 9 o'clock hour, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The L.A. Fire Department …
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… is checking for any possible damage. According to an LAFD statement:
Firefighters from all 106 neighborhood fire stations promptly move to a designated safe area and then initiate a “windshield survey” of their District. In this manner, over 470 square miles in the greater Los Angeles area can be assessed in a matter of minutes. The Department's six helicopters and five fire boats assist the appraisal.
Many people described the quake as creating a rolling motion.
It was felt from San Diego County to the Riverside County desert, from Orange County to Simi Valley, according to the USGS.
Footage from KCAL9 showed that glassware had fallen and broken at an Orange County restaurant.
No injuries were reported.
“This is what we call an earthquake sequence,” USGS seismologist Lucy Jones told KCAL9.
She said the 5.1 was bookended by a foreshock and aftershocks.
Credit: USGS
[Update at 9:53 p.m.]: KCAL9 is reporting that a power outage and water-main break in Orange County might be related to the shaker.
Several Disneyland visitors tweeted that the park has shut down rides as a precaution. One photo showed children, reportedly at the park, ducking under a table.
A swarm of earthquakes appears to be associated with the La Habra temblor. Additional quakes measuring 2.9, 2.7 and 3.6 struck in the minutes before 10 p.m.
[Update at 10:14 p.m.]: Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued this statement:
Tonight's earthquake is the second in two weeks, and reminds us to be prepared. L.A. residents can visit https://www.readyla.org/ for guidance on how to best prepare for the next earthquake, including potential aftershocks.
The Los Angeles Police and Fire Departments have conducted an assessment and report no damage in the City.
[Update at 10:24 p.m.]: The LAFD says it is continuing to survey the city but that so far “no significant damage has been reported.”
Tonight's swarm of La Habra quakes appeared to include the following, which were reported by the USGS:
-A 3.6 at 8:03 p.m. that was described by USGS officials as a foreshock.
-A 3.4 at 9:11 p.m., described as an aftershock.
-A 3.6 at 9:30 p.m., another aftershock.
-A 2.7 at 9:45 p.m., another aftershock.
-A 2.9 at 9:47 p.m., another aftershock.
-A 2.7 at 9:53 p.m., another aftershock.
-A 2.7 at 10:05 p.m., another aftershock.
-A 2.6 at 10:05 p.m., another aftershock, near Brea.
[Added]:
-A 3.1 at 10:37 p.m., near Brea.
We twice watched as La Habra quakes were reported live on the USGS site, and during live television coverage of a press conference at USGS facilities, one of the aftershocks struck and set off a warning alarm.
See also: Earthquake Warning System Is Running in Los Angeles, But Only A Few Are Hooked Up
A USGS official said there have been about 20 aftershocks so far. He called it “a very energetic aftershock sequence.”
[Update at 10:53 p.m.]: Brea police say an earthquake-triggered rockslide caused a car to overturn on Carbon Canyon Road, which has since been closed.
[Update at 11:08 p.m.]: Fullerton police said on Facebook that “several water-main breaks” were caused by the temblor:
Please avoid the area of Gilbert and Rosecrans. There are several water-main breaks in the area and the roads are closed to traffic. Still no reports of any injuries or major structural damage.
[Update at 11:20 p.m.]: The LAFD released this statement:
LAFD is no longer in Earthquake Mode. Fortunately no significant damage occurred in LAFD's 470 sq mi jurisdiction.
Also, during another news conference, USGS officials said the quake struck about a mile below the earth's surface. [Added: Although a seismologist told reporters the quake was “shallow,” the official data at the USGS site says the 5.1 struck about 4.6 miles beneath the surface.]
[Update at 11:34 p.m.]: Sgt. Jeff Stuart of the Fullerton Police Department told CBS Los Angeles that there were reports of minor structural damage in his city.
[Update at 11:38 p.m.]: Lt. Darrin Devereux of the Brea Police Department told the station minor injuries resulted from that rollover crash on Carbon Canyon Road.
He said many off-duty law officers, including him, came in to help respond to earthquake-related calls. He also said volunteers were helping out in that city.
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