With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
5.5 Ridgecrest Earthquake Aftershock Rocks Southern California
(Courtesy USGS)
A quake measuring greater than magnitude-5 struck east of Ridgecrest around 6:30 p.m. tonight.
The U.S. Geological Survey gave a preliminary measurement of 5.1 magnitude and said it stuck a little more than 10 miles south of Searles Valley at a depth of 6.9 kilometers.
Quake expert Lucy Jones said the quake measured in at 5.5 magnitude, though, and she called it a "large late aftershock."
Yes, an earthquake. A M5.5 at the very southern end of the 2019 Ridgecrest aftershock zone. This is a large late aftershock - do you remember that I said these are common?
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) June 4, 2020
Sponsored message
Ridgecrest was hit last year by major back-to-back earthquakes last summer. The first quake, a magnitude 6.4, hit on July 4. That earthquake, the biggest to strike the region in many years, turned out to be a foreshock of a 7.4 magnitude quake that struck the next evening.
As she did when the first big Ridgecrest earthquake happened last year, Jones reminded everyone tonight that there's about a 5% chance that a bigger quake will follow.
Jones told us:
"It is indeed an aftershock to the earthquake that occurred last July. It's been 11 months since the main shock."
LISTEN TO OUR INTERVIEW TONIGHT WITH LUCY JONES
READ THE FULL STORY:
THE BIG ONE IS COMING. GET PREPARED
Sponsored message
We don't want to scare you, but the Big One is coming. We don't know when, but we know it'll be at least 44 times stronger than Northridge and 11 times stronger than the Ridgcrest quakes last year. To help you get prepared, we've compiled a handy reading list
At LAist, we focus on what matters to our community: clear, fair, and transparent reporting that helps you make decisions with confidence and keeps powerful institutions accountable.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
