USGS California Earthquake near Ridgecrest & LA
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake has been reported nearly 14 miles west of Ridgecrest, California and 117 miles south-southwest of Los Angeles. Experts say this is an aftershock from the Ridgecrest sequence of nearly a year ago. Read on for more details and to see a map of the earthquake’s location.
The 5.5 Earthquake Is Likely an Aftershock of the Ridgecrest Sequence
According to USGS.gov, the earthquake was located near the following area that you can see in the map below. You can see the interactive map here.
USGS
Cal Tech seismologist Zachary Ross said on Twitter that the earthquake today was the largest aftershock of the Ridgecrest sequence that began a year ago. Early reports indicated the quake was a magnitude 5.1, but it’s now estimated to be a magnitude 5.5.
You can see a closeup of the earthquake’s estimated location below.
USGS.gov
According to USGS, the earthquake was reported near the following locations:
- 10.5 miles N from Searles Valley, California
- 10.5 miles NNE from Trona, California
- 13.9 miles W from Ridgecrest, California
- 54.6 miles SSE from Barstow, California
- 76 miles NNW from Lone Pine, California
- 92 miles W from Bakersfield, California
- 103 miles S from San Bernardino, California
- 117.5 miles SSW from Los Angeles, California
This map, provided by USGS’s Community Internet Intensity Map, estimates the earthquake’s location and intensity. You can see the full map here.
USGS
Next is a ShakeMap indicating the areas of intensity. You can see the full map here.
USGS
EMSC shared this map:
M5.5 #earthquake strikes 147 km E of #Bakersfield (#California) 7 min ago. Effects reported by eyewitnesses:
Zachary Ross, a Cal Tech seismologist, has said that this is an aftershock after nearly a year. He wrote on Twitter: “Why is this considered a Ridgecrest aftershock after almost a year? Because the rate of events per day is still way above the rate before the sequence started.”
M 5.53 makes this the largest aftershock of the Ridgecrest sequence, nearly 1 year after it began.
Why is this considered a Ridgecrest aftershock after almost a year? Because the rate of events per day is still way above the rate before the sequence started.
Dr. Lucy Jones, a seismologist, shared the same analysis on Twitter. She wrote: “Yes, an earthquake. A M5.5 at the very southern end of the 2019 Ridgecrest aftershock zone. This is a large late aftershock – do you remember that I said these are common?”
Yes, an earthquake. A M5.5 at the very southern end of the 2019 Ridgecrest aftershock zone. This is a large late aftershock – do you remember that I said these are common?
When Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the earthquake, which could be felt as far as downtown Los Angeles, he added: “As if things couldn’t get worse.”
The Mayor pretty much sums it up right now in LA. #earthquake
The NOAA has noted that there is currently no tsunami warning, advisory, watch or threat in place.
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