Magnitude 4.2 earthquake rattles Southern California
According to California’s Department of Conservation, the state experiences two or three events each year that are reported to be a magnitude of 5.5 or higher and produce damage.
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SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – A magnitude 4.2 earthquake shook San Bernardino County and parts of Southern California on Wednesday, but there were no immediate reports of any damage.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake was centered about 2 miles from San Bernardino but occurred at a depth of nearly 10 miles, which likely limited impacts.
Shaking was felt from the east side of Los Angeles to near Oceanside, north of San Diego.
California shake map
(FOX Weather)
According to experts, the quake occurred along the San Jacinto Fault Zone, which usually leads to smaller quakes.
The fault zone is fairly active, but since reliable recordkeeping began, the largest magnitude has been a 6.8, which occurred in 1918.
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Earthquakes with a magnitude of around 5.5 or less can be felt but produce little, if any, damage.
According to California’s Department of Conservation, the state experiences two or three events each year that are reported to be a magnitude of 5.5 or higher.
Because initial estimates put Wednesday evening’s quake at around a magnitude 4.5, the state’s Shake Alert system notified cell phone users in the immediate area of the impending event.
Due to the quake's limited scope, the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center quickly ruled out any type of increased wave activity along the West Coast.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said it conducted surveys after the shaking and found no structural damage.
The last significant quake to strike the Golden State happened on Dec. 20, 2022, when a magnitude 6.4 earthquake rattled the town of Ferndale.
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A magnitude 6.4 earthquake was felt across the north coast of California early Tuesday morning, causing some damage.