An earthquake measured at magnitude 5.4 gave a sharp jolt to much of Orange County at 4:53 p.m. Wednesday, July 7, 2010. The quake was centered 13 miles north-northwest of Borrego Springs, CA, and 28 miles south of Palm Springs.
It rattled a wide region of Southern California, shaking buildings in downtown Los Angeles, toppling wine bottles in Borrego Springs, and even briefly halted rides at Disneyland. But unlike most of the recent earthquake activity in Southern California, it was not an aftershock of the massive magnitude 7.2 quake last Easter Sunday in northern Mexico.
“This is a completely different fault system — the San Jacinto fault,” said Bob Dollar, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey. “It’s a very active fault.”
The quake’s proximity meant a sharper jolt in Orange County than other quakes in recent months.
“Going over to the (Orange County) coast, it was about 80 miles,” Dollar said. “That’s pretty close for an earthquake this size.”
Due to the number of recent earthquakes we have experienced recently, we would like to make you aware of a resource for more information on how to prepare for the next large earthquake as experts say the “Big One” is coming. Download a copy of Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country at:
http://www.earthquakecountry.info/roots/
Be Safe. Be Prepared.