Latest Southern California Earthquake; Earthquake, Aftershock or Warning of Things to Come?

As Southern California's 92 (and counting) aftershocks defines being the USGS hog of the day California remains shaken up by the 5.7 magnitude and over 4 mile deep earthquake that rattled multiple zip codes for approximately 3 minutes at 9:26 p.m. according to USGS reports. Luckily no serious injuries or overwhelming damage reports surfaced.

Travel 5 miles SE from Ocotillo, 15 miles WSW from Seeley, add an additional ENE mile from Jacumba Hot Springs, 22 miles WSW from El Centro, 65 miles E from Baja California in Mexico and you have entered the hot zone - the place of birth for this round of crackers and stackers.

According to ABC local news residents experienced the usual house rockers, clock tippers, couch moving game stoppers. The Toronto Blue-Jays San Diego Padres game continued after the ground shifter. It wasn't enough to shake the Jays who won (6-3). All in all it was pretty much an average moment in Southern California since quakes are becoming as common as a twister in Tornado Alley.

Question is, was the 5.7 actually some form of shimmy before the big one?

Rewind to the previous day and note a 4.7 in Baja California, Mexico. Take it back two days and note a 4.9 in Southern California. Three to note a 3.6 in Central California. Folks, Mother Earth's California contractions are a daily event. What's not daily is the 7.5 in the India Region or the 6.1 in Japan that unfolded within the last couple of days. The earthquake today, thus far, goes to Indonesia at a calm 4.9.

California's earthquakes below a 6 on the scale is almost a given. The San Francisco "Great Earthquake of 1906" is thought of as been a 7.9. However, some can still argue based on 375 deaths and a city in ruins that it could have been as high as 8.25 in magnitude.

Before you count your crumbled cookies in the cracked cookie jar remember that California had some poorly constructed homes and establishments in the early 1900's to contribute to damages, falling debris and deaths as a consequence. Meaning, never judge an earthquake book by the old time cover. But one thing is for sure, it was over a 7 - not as lucky for California back then.

For the last one hundred years the ultimate Cali joke deemed reality. "Why live in California when you know Mother Earth is in constant contractions about to deliver a crack baby?"

It may sound like hell is about to swallow California but the truth is - California is one of the most beautiful free-minded locations in America. And as you know, home of the brave does not stop at wars or battles involving enemy lines - it also defines a way of life, let come what may and build from the ashes and lashes through dots and dashes.

And if you live by railroad tracks of a passing train that clings glassware together on a daily basis, California just may be your kind of place.

As for now, California's buzz remains at a 5.7. Hopefully, that is where it will stay.

Source(s):
USGS
ABC Local News
(accessed June 15, 2010)