Large Quake Felt Across SoCal With Dozens Of Aftershocks

LOS ANGELES, CA — A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck about 20 miles southwest of Bakersfield Tuesday night, sending tremors across the Southland. The quake was followed by dozens of aftershocks in quick succession in Grapevine in Kern County.

The Los Angeles Fire Department activated its "Earthquake Mode."

The quake struck at 9:09 p.m. Tuesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It's epicenter was about 89 miles north of downtown LA. Some of the larger aftershocks included a 4.5 magnitude with an epicenter in northwest of Grapevine and a 4.1 magnitude in Lamont.

The initial quake, which had a depth of 11 kilometers, was followed by a series of aftershocks in rapid succession. The first measured at 4.5 less than a minute later, followed by a magnitude-3.0 aftershock at 9:14 p.m., a magnitude-4.0 at 9:17 p.m. and a magnitude-3.8 a few seconds later.

More than two dozen additional small aftershocks occurred over the ensuing hour.

"It is near the White Wolf fault that produced a M7.5 in 1952 but does not appear to be on that fault," tweeted seismologist Lucy Jones. "We are seeing a robust aftershock sequence, with a M4.5 just 45 seconds after the mainshock."

"Like any quake in SoCal, there is a 5% chance that it will be followed by something bigger. That means a 95% chance that this is the largest. We have never found any characteristic that makes a quake more likely to be a foreshock," she added.

The region has been active lately. Last wee a series of quakes struck south of Barstow including a magnitude 4.7 quake.

SEE ALSO: Large Quake Rattles SoCal Monday Afternoon

There were no immediate reports of damage in Southern California.

The LAFD said that "pursuant to protocol, the LAFD is now in earthquake mode, as personnel from all 106 neighborhood fire stations conduct a strategic survey by land, air and sea of their districts, examining critical infrastructure and areas of local concern across our 470 square mile city of Los Angeles jurisdiction.

"Once this process is complete and reports are consolidated, assuming there is no significant damage, LAFD Earthquake Mode will be complete."

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass posted about the earthquake on X.

"A preliminary magnitude 5.3 earthquake near Mettler, CA was felt in the Los Angeles region this evening," Bass wrote. "Our @LAFD has activated to conduct its routine survey of the city and assess for any damages. City teams will continue to monitor any impacts."

LA Metro officials said trains would be running slower Tuesday night "as per our earthquake procedure to check for any damage."

Governor Gavin Newsom's office said the state's Office of Emergency Services and local first responders were "actively monitoring impacts" from the quake.

RELATED:

• The San Andreas Is Overdue For The Big One, And This Might Be Why
• Bay Little Known Bay Area Fault Could Trigger The Next Big One
• Are You Living on a Fault Line?
• Fault Capable Of 8.0 Quake Awakens Thanks To Ridgecrest Temblors
• Long Overdue Eastern Sierra Quake Could Rock Reno, Lake Tahoe
• Most People Don't Know About Earthquakes
• 7.1 Magnitude Quake Rattles Southern California
• Strong Earthquake Prompts Preparedness Reminders
• Earthquake Preparedness For CA Pet Owners

City News Service contributed to this report.