An earthquake hit southern California on Tuesday night, with residents as far away as 90 miles from the epicenter feeling the shake.
The authorities are still assessing the damage done by the quake, but it is not believed to have resulted in any injuries so far.
Magnitude
The earthquake was a moderate one, with a shaking likely to have been felt by almost everyone within the zone of effect.
It was recorded at a magnitude of 5.2, with one of the aftershocks registering at 4.5.
Cascade of Aftershocks
The earthquake was particularly notable for the unusually high number of aftershocks recorded after the initial event.
Caltech’s Seismological Laboratory were able to detect over 30 aftershocks from their equipment.
Location
The earthquake hit a few miles south of Bakersfield, California, a city of over 400,000 people north of Los Angeles.
The center of the quake was 7.2 miles deep underground, but it was felt both on the surface and at distances much further afield than the epicenter.
LA Shook
Residents of LA also reported feeling the shake, and witnessed it rattling the contents of their house.
It was also reported to have affected some parts of the Los Angeles metro, although, again, no structural damage has been reported.
Fire Department Scan
The earthquake has triggered the LA Fire Department, who will perform a scan through the city with firemen from all stations.
The scan will allow officers to assess if there has been any obvious damage or damage to the integrity of any structures.
Precursor to Future Quake?
Sometimes a smaller earthquake can be shortly followed by a larger shake, and this can be predicted with a certain level of accuracy.
The US Geological Survey estimates that a shake the magnitude of Tuesday night’s is unlikely to be followed by a larger quake within a week, giving it a 5% chance.
Geographical Differences of Effect
One measure for the effect of an earthquake is the Richter scale, and this can be a useful measure for comparing the intensities of different earthquake events.
However, it is less commonly used when comparing the effect of a single earthquake on different geographical regions, in which case the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale comes in useful.
Areas Hit Hardest
Only 4 cities, all with populations of less than 20,000, were recorded as having been hit with level V MMI effects from the earthquake, which can be considered moderate.
However, lighter effects were felt at distances of up to 90 miles away, with the city of LA and surrounding areas feeling a level III, or ‘weak’, shaking.
Quake Me Out to the Ball Game
The earthquake occurred during a baseball game at the Dodger Stadium between the LA Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies.
Some of the stadium’s occupants felt a shake in the middle of the 7th inning. The Phillies won the quake-interrupted game 6 to 2, the quake spurring them on to make 2 more runs in the final inning.
