San Diego earthquake. Credit: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/
A preliminary 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck just south of Julian, East San Diego County, at 10:08 am local time today, on Monday, April 14.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the quake’s epicentre was 2.5 miles (around 4 kilometres) south of Julian, with tremors recorded as far north as Escondido and as far east as Mexicali. The quake followed a smaller 3.5-magnitude tremor in the same area on Sunday afternoon.
Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones, speaking to CNN, confirmed that the event is “likely associated with the Elsinore Fault,” a branch of the wider San Andreas system. She added, “Every earthquake could be a foreshock to something bigger,” explaining there’s roughly a 5 per cent chance of a stronger follow-up quake.
The National Weather Service confirmed that no tsunami is expected. However, the aftershocks came quickly and in succession, with at least seven reported by 10:30 am. The strongest of these was a magnitude 3.0, recorded shortly after the main quake.
While no major injuries have been reported, the psychological and physical impact has been notable. According to NBC 7 San Diego, car alarms echoed through parking garages in Kearny Mesa and construction workers were seen fleeing sites.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said on X, “There’s no known visible or major damage to the city so far and I’m in communication with local, state, and federal officials. Please report any damage in your communities through Get It Done.”
Locals in San Diego regions left shaken
The earthquake left a particularly strong impression on Julian residents. Robin Boland of the Julian Chamber of Commerce told CBS News Los Angeles, “Everybody was outside checking on each other and all the car alarms were going off.” In Carlsbad, a woman named Caroline described it as “a very violent jolt… our whole entire building was swaying… that was the biggest earthquake I’ve felt in a long time.”
Dylan Carniero, working at Mountain Spirits Liquor in Julian, told CBS, “I just hear like consecutive three to four different bursts and pops of different bottles,” after several fell and shattered on the floor.
Elsewhere in Ramona, Ashley Pinnick said, “It felt like my entire roof was going to collapse.”
Preliminary quake: a wider warning for the West Coast?
The quake’s depth is estimated at around 8 miles (13 kilometres). Governor Gavin Newsom’s office confirmed he has been briefed, adding that California is “coordinating with local authorities to assess any damage and if emergency response is needed,” as reported by CNN.
More than 25 million people reportedly experienced some degree of shaking, with the USGS describing it as “moderate” near the epicentre.
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