California earthquake rocks Orange County, officials say

Earthquake in Orange County, California is followed by 10 aftershocks.

The Capitol Column | Friday, June 15, 2012

 

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The 4.0 magnitude earthquake that occurred in Orange County, California Wednesday night was followed by approximately 10 aftershocks, according to officials cited by The Los Angeles Times.


The California earthquake struck at around 8:17 p.m. Wednesday night, with a depth of approximately three miles, according to a U.S. Geological Survey report. It was centered eight miles northeast of Anaheim. The largest aftershock was measured had a magnitude of 2.4.


“We haven’t had a 4 in the urban area for a while,” said Bob Dollar, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey. “And a 4 is strong enough that it’s going to be widely felt.”  


Mr. Dollar is still trying to determine what may have caused the California earthquake.


“It’s kind of complex in here,” said Mr. Dollar. “It’s one of these things where there’s a bunch of different faults that kind of run parallel; you’ve got a zone of faults, and we always quibble about it a little bit.”


Those who felt the earthquake reported it as a single, quick jolt, according to The Detroit Free Press .  More than 8,000 people reported feeling the earthquake on the U.S. Geological Survey’s “Did You Feel it” web page.


Orange County officials said that no damage seems to have been caused by the California earthquake and the 10 aftershocks.


“It’s a small earthquake, but a good reminder that we live in earthquake country, and should be prepared for the big one,” said Marc Stone, an Orange County Fire Department spokesman, in a statement obtained by The Orange County Register .