4.9 magnitude earthquake hits Barstow area, rattling large swath of SoCal, USGS says

ByABC.com staff and Leticia Juarez KABC logo
Monday, July 29, 2024
4.9 earthquake hits Barstow area, rattles large swath of SoCal
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck the Barstow area Monday afternoon, rattling a large portion of Southern California, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

BARSTOW, Calif. (KABC) -- A preliminary magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck the Barstow area Monday afternoon, rattling a large portion of Southern California, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake struck at 1 p.m. at a depth of nearly six miles. Shaking was felt in the Inland Empire's high desert all the way to Calabasas, Los Angeles, Glendale, Burbank, Pasadena and beyond.

The temblor was followed by two smaller aftershocks, including one with a magnitude of 3.5, according to the USGS.

Caltech seismologists say the state's Shake Alert system sent out a warning 12 seconds before the earthquake was felt. The alert initially registered the quake as a 5.0 before it was downgraded.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said there were no reports of injuries or damage in their area.

No damage or injuries were immediately reported from other regions.

Renown seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones weighed in on X, saying that the temblor was located near the Calico fault - which crosses the Mojave.

"We have seen quakes this size many times in the Mojave Desert," she posted, adding that because Monday's quake was more than 50 km from the San Andreas fault, it will not change the probability of a San Andreas earthquake.

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