Fifth microquake since Thursday hits O.C.
June 2nd, 2008, 4:05 pm · 6 Comments · posted by Gary Robbins, science writer-editor
Orange County continues to twitch with harmless microquakes. The latest occurred at 6:12 p.m. when a magnitude 1.7 quake occurred 4.7 miles deep, near the intersection of Newport Boulevard and E. 18th Street on the border of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. The temblor came less than five hours after a 1.9 temblor broke 8.5 miles deep almost directly beneath the intersection of E. Walnut Avenue and N. Tustin Street in Orange, a short distance from Chapman University. (Orange quake location shown in this image. Click map to enlarge.)
Overall, the county has had five microquakes since last Thurday, and a sixth occurred beneath the seafloor at 4:25 p.m. today roughly three miles southwest of San Clemente State Beach.
“I wouldn’t call this abnormal,” says Bob Dollar, a seismologist at the U.S. Geological Survey. “It’s not like quakes happen like a drum beat or with rhythm. Sometimes they happen as a burst, sometimes there’s none at all.”
Today’s quake in Orange follows the 1.9 microquake that occurred at 9:59 a.m. on Monday about 15 miles deep near the intersection of Walnut Avenue and Jeffrey Road in Irvine, the U.S. Geological Survey says. On Saturday, there was a 2.1 quake in Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. And last Thursday, there was a 1.7 temblor in the northern Santa Ana Mountains.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 4:58 pm
How is this any different than the tiny earthquakes we have every day in SoCal? What makes this news??
From Sciencedude: I noted in the blog item that Orange County experiences several microquakes every week. We keep track of the quake because the public is very interested in the subject. We polled readers over the weekend and more than 70 percent of the respondents said they want us to track microquakes. We also follow microquakes to see if any trends are developing. You may remember that there was a series of very small quakes before a larger one occurred in Reno not long ago. Further, items about earthquakes generate more reader traffic than any other topic I cover. People are simply interested in the subject.
June 3rd, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Thanks for the post. I always take time to remind my children that they might be in school when a large earthquake hits. My intention is not to scare them but to remind them what to do in case. My son told me he would run into his classroom. I was shocked and reminded him that pieces of buildings could be coming down and to stay outside if that is where he is and to stay away from overhead wires and trees. I also work in a school and they only have one earthquake drill a year.
June 3rd, 2008 at 4:42 pm
I checked the USGS web site and they only show 2 micro quakes in OC since last week ?, where are you getting your information?
From Sciencedude: I’m getting my information directly from the US Geological Survey website, which lists every quake above 1.0 that occurs in Southern California. I use the lat/long listed by USGS to determine the spot where the quake occurred. And I reviewed today’s events with Bob Dollar, a veteran seismologist for USGS who knows O.C. well.
June 3rd, 2008 at 4:59 pm
It’s not the twitches, but the cramps that worry me.
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Okay all you people who answered “No” about being prepared. Please, please, please go to Costco and get several cases of water, batteries, canned goods, peanut butter, crackers, granola bars, nuts, and whatever else strikes your fancy. You need to have supplies on hand! There is no excuse, and DO NOT expect the government to take care of you!
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:58 pm
I checked the USGS web site again, It shows an M1.2 on 5-29 an M2.1 on 5-31 and an M1.9 on 6-3, all of those prior to your report above with a post time of 1605 local. Three more micro-quakes occurred in the OC area starting at 1608L, after your last report. So are you counting quakes “felt” in OC and occurring adjacent to but no in OC ?
From Sciencedude: I’m counting all quakes recorded in O.C., and I listed the one two miles off San Clemente, but stated that it was offshore.