5.2 magnitude earthquake hits California, shaking buildings in Los Angeles

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A “very strong” 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck Southern California Tuesday evening, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The epicenter of the quake was about 15 miles southwest of Lamont, Kern County. The quake struck at about 9:10 p.m. PST and was felt in Fresno, Bakersfield, Santa Clarita and even Los Angeles.

A survey initially estimated the quake's magnitude at 5.3 on the Richter scale, before it was later downgraded to 5.2. Dozens of aftershocks, some as strong as 4.5, began just 45 seconds after the initial quake.

He added that the tremor at the point closest to the epicenter was “very strong,” as defined by the modified Mercalli scale of earthquake intensity.

The U.S. Geological Survey, which is assessing the quake's impact, said the potential for damage or injuries was minimal — none of which had been reported. There is also “no tsunami threat,” according to the National Weather Service.

Californians' responses to whether they felt the earthquake, and how strong it was if they did (USGS)

Nearly 60 aftershocks were recorded over the next hour, according to Caltech seismologist Lucy Jones.

“We're seeing a strong series of aftershocks,” Jones, who works in Pasadena, wrote on Twitter late Tuesday.

The earthquake occurred near the White Wolf Fault in Kern County, where a 7.5-magnitude quake killed 12 people in 1952, the seismologist added. “It doesn't appear to be on the same fault as that quake,” she said.

A large rock the size of an SUV was blocking lanes on Interstate 5 near Grapevine Road two minutes after the quake struck, the California Highway Patrol said.

It is not yet clear whether the rock has been removed.

Boulder on I-5 south of Grapevine Road near Bakersfield (KGET/NBC)

An emergency alert was sent to the cell phones of many Southern California residents from the USGS' ShockAlert early warning system seconds before the quake began.

“An earthquake has been detected! Drop, take cover, hold on. Protect yourself. -USGS ShakeAlert,” the notice read.

The Los Angeles Fire Department deployed helicopters and sent personnel from stations to assess whether there were injuries or structural damage in the city, which is about 88 miles from the epicenter.

In a post on the X website Tuesday evening, Mayor Karen Bass confirmed that “there were no damages or injuries in the City of Los Angeles.”

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Jose Gomez said he did not feel any vibrations while commuting to work in the nearby city of Santa Clarita, according to the Los Angeles Times.

According to a three-year data sample, earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.0 to 6.0 occur five times a year across California and Nevada.

Southern California experiences up to 10,000 earthquakes each year, most of which are low-magnitude and cause no damage or injuries.

The last major earthquake (above 6.0 on the Richter scale) in the state was a 6.4 magnitude quake in Ferndale, Humboldt County, in December 2022, which killed two people and injured 17 others.

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