A magnitude 5.4 earthquake hit southern California today near Chino Hills, CA, 29 miles southeast of Los Angeles. Shaking lasted from 5-20 seconds, depending on where you were. Initially reported as a magnitude 5.8, as more data became available, seismologists revised the magnitude. This is a common procedure after every significant earthquake. In order to help characterize the shaking around the region, those who felt the quake are encouraged to fill out a USGS Did You Feel It? questionnaire.
This earthquake serves as a good reminder of how susceptible southern California is to damaging shaking. From this very small event, there was relatively little damage, yet southern Californians are urged to become more prepared for bigger earthquakes. According to Anthony Guarino, a seismic analyst at Caltech, a large San Andreas earthquake would be 3,981 times more powerful than one of magnitude 5.4.
If you haven’t already done so, please register for the Great Southern California ShakeOut today as an individual, family, business, or other organization at www.ShakeOut.org. When you join the ShakeOut you become part of the largest earthquake drill in U.S. history. Numerous preparedness tips can be found on the website. The purpose of the ShakeOut is to help people prepare and learn how to react – during quakes like this small one and those much larger.
-Debbie Weiser
