Another earthquake and a series of aftershocks rocked Southern California overnight Wednesday.
The 4.2-magnitude quake struck only 6 miles northeast of Indio shortly after midnight, the same area jolted by a 4.9 temblor on Monday.
On Wednesday, a 4.2-magnitude earthquake struck nearly six miles northeast of Indio Hills around 12:30 a.m. There were no immediate reports of injuries. Facebook/Belal Gaber
Aftershocks continue to rattle the Indio area following a 4.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Monday. ABC 7Just half an hour after Wednesday’s quake, the USGS detected a 2.5 aftershock in Coachella Valley.
“At this time, the city of Indio has no reports of injuries and no immediate reports of any visible road damage related to this evening’s earthquake. Our water system is secure and stable,” a city spokesperson said in a statement Monday.
On Tuesday, aftershocks ranging from 2.8 to 3.6 magnitudes rattled the region, part of a relentless wave of 16 quakes that struck Southern California in less than 24 hours, reigniting fears that the “Big One” could soon rip through the area.
First, a 4.9 magnitude earthquake hit near Indio, in the Coachella Valley, on Monday night, followed by at least a dozen smaller tremors, seismic experts at the US Geological Survey confirmed.
The dramatic burst of ground motion, part of an ongoing swarm of quakes, occurred near the infamous San Andreas Fault, which runs past Indio.
Though the aftershocks measured only ‘weak’ to ‘light’ on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale, they were strong enough to keep the desert community uneasy, a dark reminder that the ground beneath the Golden State is always restless.
Officials have warned that aftershocks may continue for the next week, with a 6% chance that one will exceed magnitude 5.
The USGC has forecasted a “99% chance of magnitude 3 and above aftershocks” through Jan. 27, and “it is most likely that 1 to 14 of these will occur.”
There have been no reports of injuries or damage.
It was back in 1994 when the Northridge Earthquake struck Los Angeles, registering at 6.7. The quake caused dozens of casualties and billions of dollars in damage. Northridge was so significant that it caused for new building codes to be put into place, creating stronger structures that were built to better withstand powerful quakes.
