A magnitude 3.6 earthquake struck off Hermosa Beach shortly before 9 a.m. Today, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The quake was centered in Santa Monica Bay, about 4 miles west-southwest of Hermosa Beach and roughly 7 miles deep. The USGS first measured it at 3.5 before upgrading it to 3.6. There were no reports of damage or injuries.
It was the second part of California to shake that morning. About 80 minutes earlier, a magnitude 3.5 quake hit near Westley in Stanislaus County, followed by a 2.6, with shaking felt from San Jose to Walnut Creek. Two regions of the state, roughly 300 miles apart, rattled before most people had finished breakfast.
Where did the Hermosa Beach earthquake hit?
It hit offshore in Santa Monica Bay, west of the South Bay beach cities. Because it struck beneath the water and several miles down, shaking on land was light.
Are the Hermosa Beach and Westley quakes connected?
Nothing in the USGS reports links them, and quakes hundreds of miles apart are typically unrelated. The timing was a coincidence, not a chain reaction.
How common are earthquakes like this in California?
Very common. California records thousands of earthquakes a year, and the vast majority are tiny. Several hundred reach magnitude 3.0, and only about 15 to 20 reach magnitude 4.0 or higher, according to the USGS. In North America, only Alaska records more earthquakes each year. Southern California has felt several small ones lately, including a 3.1 near Compton on Sept. 17 and a 3.2 in the same area earlier this month.
Why does the timing matter for the coast?
The Southern California coast was already on alert. Hurricane Polo, churning toward Baja California, is sending powerful waves and dangerous rip currents to Southern California and raising concerns about coastal flooding and beach erosion. The quake added one more jolt to a coastline already bracing for rough water.
Did phones send an earthquake alert?
No, and that’s by design. The MyShake app warns about quakes of magnitude 4.5 and larger, so a 3.6 arrives with no heads-up. That’s why the basics matter. Drop to your hands and knees, cover your head and neck and get under a sturdy table or desk, or next to an interior wall away from windows. Hold on until the shaking stops and be ready to move with your shelter…