'Notable' 5.2 quake hits south of Bakersfield. Shaking felt widely

An earthquake initially reported with a preliminary magnitude of 5.7, quickly downgraded to a 5.3 and then a 5.2, struck south of Bakersfield shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday. Shaking was reported throughout a wide region.

Dozens of smaller aftershocks followed, continuing into Wednesday morning.

The quake struck very near the intersection of the 5 Freeway and Route 99, in an area that is a major north-south route for the state.

The first quake, shown here in blue, struck shortly after 9 p.m. and was followed by dozens of smaller aftershocks.

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Courtesy USGS

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What Lucy Jones says

Lucy Jones, a veteran a seismologist and expert on Southern California quakes, weighed in on social. She cautioned that there's always a chance that a larger quake follows, although it is small. Jones also noted that this quake was located "near the White Wolf fault that produced a M7.5 in 1952 but does not appear to be on that fault."

Any damage?

We are checking for reports of damage. Our colleagues at Valley Public Radio (KVPR) in the Central Valley report the area where the epicenter is located is rural. Weedpatch, the closest place, is an unincorporated community with a population of less than 3,000, according to census records.

In Kern County, fire officials said their trucks had been sent to do a "windshield check" of surrounding areas, which is routine for quakes of this magnitude. Meanwhile, Caltrans reported that the quake caused a boulder to slide into the southbound lanes of the 5 Freeway just south of Grapevine Road. The three right lanes were closed until 12:15 a.m.

LA Metro officials also advised riders that trains would run more slowly as they checked for damage, which is routine after a quake.

There were warnings

An early warning was issued by the U.S. Geological Survey, giving residents in several seconds warning before the shaking started. The further from the epicenter, the more heads up.

A screenshot captures a warning sent during Tuesday evening's quake.

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Megan Garvey

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LAist

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Yes, earthquake social is doing its thing

See the shake map

The USGS shake map shows where reports have been filed since a preliminary magnitude 5.3 quake hit shortly after 9 p.m. Click for the latest reports.

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Courtesy USGS

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Earthquake resources

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 Ridgecrest quakes in 2019. To help you get prepared, we've compiled a handy reading list:

• Your guide to surviving the Big One
• For earthquakes, forget the 'go-bag.' Here's how to prepare
• How to not get life-threatening diarrhea after a major earthquake
• 10 earthquake-related questions to ask your landlord immediately
• How to prepare for an earthquake if you have a disability
• Listen to our podcast: The Big One: Your Survival Guide

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