http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_11983854
Magnitude-4.7 quake shakes near SoCal's Salton Sea
The Associated Press
Posted: 03/24/2009 05:35:26 AM PDT
BOMBAY BEACH, Calif.—A moderate earthquake struck Tuesday on the edge of the Salton Sea in Southern California's Imperial County, but there was no immediate word of any injuries or damages.
The magnitude-4.7 quake struck at 4:55 a.m. at a depth of about 3.5 miles, said Seismologist Amy Vaughn of the U.S. Geological Survey.
It was centered three miles south of the small town of Bombay Beach and 90 miles east of San Diego.
Imperial County sheriff's Deputy Sanchez, who would not give his first name, said there have been no reports of any damages. He said he felt shaking as he was driving his car in Salton City 13 miles from the epicenter but thought it was the wind.
A magnitude-3.0 quake shook the same spot about three minutes later, immediately followed by a magnitude-3.6 a few miles to the north.
Bombay Beach has been rocked by more than four dozen small earthquakes since the weekend.
Scientists are keeping close watch on the swarm of activity because it is near a section of the San Andreas Fault that has not popped in over 300 years.
Vaughn could not immediately say whether the quake was on the San Andreas fault or one of several smaller faults in the area.
A rupture on the southern San Andreas could unleash the "Big One" that would devastate a large swath of Southern California. Last year, scientists said a magnitude-7.8 earthquake that unzips the southern San Andreas Fault would cause 1,800 deaths and $200 billion in damages.
Magnitude-4.7 quake shakes near SoCal's Salton Sea
The Associated Press
Posted: 03/24/2009 05:35:26 AM PDT
BOMBAY BEACH, Calif.—A moderate earthquake struck Tuesday on the edge of the Salton Sea in Southern California's Imperial County, but there was no immediate word of any injuries or damages.
The magnitude-4.7 quake struck at 4:55 a.m. at a depth of about 3.5 miles, said Seismologist Amy Vaughn of the U.S. Geological Survey.
It was centered three miles south of the small town of Bombay Beach and 90 miles east of San Diego.
Imperial County sheriff's Deputy Sanchez, who would not give his first name, said there have been no reports of any damages. He said he felt shaking as he was driving his car in Salton City 13 miles from the epicenter but thought it was the wind.
A magnitude-3.0 quake shook the same spot about three minutes later, immediately followed by a magnitude-3.6 a few miles to the north.
Bombay Beach has been rocked by more than four dozen small earthquakes since the weekend.
Scientists are keeping close watch on the swarm of activity because it is near a section of the San Andreas Fault that has not popped in over 300 years.
Vaughn could not immediately say whether the quake was on the San Andreas fault or one of several smaller faults in the area.
A rupture on the southern San Andreas could unleash the "Big One" that would devastate a large swath of Southern California. Last year, scientists said a magnitude-7.8 earthquake that unzips the southern San Andreas Fault would cause 1,800 deaths and $200 billion in damages.
