On Sunday morning, a 3.6-magnitude earthquake occurred just off the Los Angeles coast. The tremor hit around 8:40 a.m., with its epicenter approximately 6 kilometers west of Hermosa Beach, as reported by the USGS.
The earthquake was recorded at a depth of about 6 miles and was felt across the South Bay area. Following the seismic event, the USGS received numerous “Did You Feel It?” reports, with a preliminary intensity rating of III, indicating weak shaking.
This quake adds to a series of recent seismic activities in Southern California, where several minor earthquakes have been noted in recent weeks. Fortunately, there have been no immediate reports of significant damage or injuries from this earthquake.
Initially, the USGS assessed the earthquake’s magnitude as 3.5, later refining its location to identify it as offshore near the South Bay. No tsunami warning has been issued in response to this event.
Among those who felt the quake was Kelsey Goldbach, a Santa Monica local who recently returned to California. She described her experience, saying she was at her desk when she felt what she thought was a truck rumbling by. It dawned on her then that it was, in fact, an earthquake. She expressed relief that nothing in her home had fallen and that her Wi-Fi remained intact, though it made for an unexpected start to her Sunday.
This recent quake was preceded by two others earlier that morning—a magnitude 3.5 earthquake shortly after 7:20 a.m. and another measuring 2.6 about 20 minutes later. These were also felt in various parts of the South Bay, according to the USGS.
The frequency of these smaller earthquakes contributes to a broader pattern of seismic activity in California. Interestingly, over 60 minor earthquakes were recorded in Southern California one recent Saturday, most coming in at below a magnitude of 2.0.
The last few weeks have seen notable seismic events, including a magnitude 3.1 quake near Compton on September 17, with tremors felt in surrounding areas like Long Beach. Other recent quakes have also struck offshore and further north, including two earthquakes southeast of Catalina Island and a separate magnitude 3.4 tremor in the San Francisco Bay Area.
While the earthquakes have been relatively minor, experts caution that California’s fault lines are capable of much stronger quakes. Caltech seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones has modeled a potential 7.8 magnitude rupture on the southern San Andreas Fault, which could lead to extensive shaking and significant disruption to infrastructure across Southern California.
Additionally, researchers from the University of Bern are studying the seismic stress in the Cajon Pass area, where the San Andreas and San Jacinto faults converge. This research explores how a future rupture could potentially affect both fault systems.
