Dozens of earthquakes in SoCal following magnitude 5.2 quake

LOS ANGELES — A magnitude 5.2 earthquake followed by dozens of aftershocks rocked the San Joaquin Valley starting late Tuesday, the U.S. Geological Service said, jangling nerves as Southern Californians prepared for bedtime.
The initial quake was centered in Lamont, California, about 21 miles from Bakersfield, California. It struck at about 9:09 p.m. PST. No injuries or damage were immediately reported.
That quake was followed by dozens of aftershocks ranging from 2.5 to 4.5 magnitudes. As of Wednesday morning U.S. Geological Survey reported 57 earthquakes in the region.
Tuesday’s earthquake was the most recent to strike California and was felt as far away as Los Angeles, about 104 miles southeast. Many residents in the region received an emergency warning on their cell phones a few seconds before the quake hit.
A 3.3-magnitude earthquake centered on the west side of the Salton Sea was felt in parts of Southern California. On July 29, a magnitude 4.9 earthquake centered 14 miles northeast of Barstow, California, rattled the high desert and parts of Southern California.
Renowned seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones, who changed how people prepare for earthquakes, took to social media late Tuesday and said that the quake’s epicenter was near the White Wolf fault that produced the enormous 1952 rattler but that “it did not appear to be on that fault.”
USGS typically recalculates the data within the first few hours of the earthquake, resulting in changes to reported magnitudes.
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The most recent significant earthquake in the state — either a magnitude of 6.5 or greater or that caused loss of life or more than $200,000 damage — was the 6.4-magnitude earthquake that occurred in the Pacific Ocean near Ferndale in 2022, according to the state department of conservation, which tracks “big” earthquakes in California.
That earthquake struck in the morning hours multiple miles west of Ferndale on Dec. 20, 2022, USA TODAY reported. It indirectly caused two deaths and damaged homes and roads in Humboldt County.
​​California’s largest recorded earthquakes since 1800, ranked by magnitude, according to the California Department of Conservation.
It depends on where you are located during the event.
Here’s what to do in the following situations, according to Ready.gov:
To protect yourself during an earthquake, drop down to your hands and knees and hold onto something sturdy. Cover your head and neck with your arms and crawl underneath a sturdy table or desk to shelter.
If that’s not available to you, crawl next to an interior wall to get away from windows. If you are under a table or desk, hold onto it with one hand so that if it moves, you can move with it.
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Slow down and pull over as soon as it’s safe, according to the California Highway Patrol. Remain in the vehicle with your seat belt fastened, engine off, and parking brake set. Once the shaking stops, check your vehicle for damage and its occupants for injuries. Only begin driving when it is safe to do so. Once you can start moving again, do so slowly and cautiously, avoiding any areas of the road that appear to be damaged or obstructed, and continue to avoid bridges and ramps.
Contributing: Olivia Munson and Paris Barraza, USA TODAY