Southern California rattled by more than 80 small earthquakes

Southern California was rattled by more than 80 earthquakes on Wednesday, but without reports of damage or injuries.

The quakes were centered in Imperial County between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Forty-five of the quakes registered a magnitude of 3.0 or above.

The biggest of the quakes was magnitude 4.9, registered shortly after 5:30 p.m. about 22 miles northeast of Westmorland.

Seismologist Lucy Jones tweeted that the earthquakes were in the Brawley seismic zone, “a network of small faults that connect the San Andreas and Imperial faults.”

None of the earthquakes that have been happening in the Imperial Valley are anywhere near the San Andreas fault. They are in the Brawley Seismic Zone – a network of small faults that connect the San Andreas and Imperial faults. Historically largest Brawley event was M5.8

— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) October 1, 2020

Jones added that the quakes near the Imperial fault were too far away to have an effect on the San Andreas fault.