What happened
Two earthquakes struck California on Sunday morning, with the first being a 3.5-magnitude quake that hit shortly after 7:20 a.m., followed by a 2.6-magnitude tremor about 20 minutes later. The earthquakes were felt by communities across the South Bay and beyond, including areas from San Jose to Walnut Creek, according to the United States Geological Survey.
The recent seismic activity in California has included a series of small earthquakes, with over 60 low-magnitude earthquakes recorded across the region during one recent Saturday. Most of these earthquakes registered below magnitude 2.0. There have also been several quakes around the Los Angeles area, including a magnitude-3.1 earthquake that struck near Compton on September 17.
Scientists have warned about the potential for a much larger earthquake along California’s major fault systems. A Caltech seismologist has warned that the San Andreas Fault is capable of producing a catastrophic major earthquake, although the timing of such an event cannot be predicted. Research has also examined seismic stress around the Cajon Pass, where the San Andreas and San Jacinto faults meet, describing the area as a potential “earthquake gate”.
