Two swarms of earthquakes reaching up to 4.5 magnitude rattled the Salton Sea region of Southern California, the U.S. Geological Survey reports. The first swarm began at 12:08 p.m. Saturday, April 29, in Heber near the U.S.-Mexico border, about 60 miles south of the Salton Sea, the USGS reported.
According to the Sacramento Bee, It included nearly 50 tremors reaching up to 3.7-magnitude, felt by about 60 people. The quakes continued overnight, with one hitting at 5:12 a.m. Sunday, April 30.
A second swarm began at 12:09 a.m. Sunday, April 30, near Niland on the southern shore of the Salton Sea, consisting of more than 25 tremors with one of the latest hitting at 5:28 a.m.
The largest, a 4.5-magnitude quake, was felt by about 30 people, according to the USGS. Other quakes in the swarm reached up to 4.1 magnitude. A 3.2-magnitude quake hit near Ocotillo Wells 30 miles west of the Salton Sea at 10:55 p.m. Saturday, April 29, followed by smaller aftershocks, the USGS reported.
The Salton Sea is a shallow, landlocked body of highly saline water about 180 miles southeast of Los Angeles. It is about 45 miles long and 20 miles wide.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT EARTHQUAKES Magnitude measures the energy released at the source of the earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey says. It replaces the old Richter scale.
Quakes between 2.5 and 5.4 magnitude are often felt but rarely cause much damage, according to Michigan Tech. Quakes below 2.5 magnitude are seldom felt by most people.
Earthquakes’ sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches. They can happen anywhere, but they’re most common in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Puerto Rico and Washington, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
