An earthquake that rattled Southern California Sunday evening and was felt across San Diego County was downgraded from a 5.0 magnitude to a 4.7 magnitude. Still -- it rattled plenty of nerves, and experts say more may be on the way.
“Glass doors rattled, everything shook,” Judy said who felt the quake near UCSD. “It seemed to last quite a while, more of a rolling earthquake.”
A preliminary report by the U.S. Geological Survey said a magnitude-5.0 quake hit at 8:39 p.m., about 10 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles, near Inglewood -- it was later downgraded. Shortly afterward at 8:44 p.m, a 2.5 "microquake" struck in the area. Then a magnitude-3.1 aftershock was reported at about 8:45 p.m. This morning, seismologists are warning that more aftershocks are on their way.
U.S. Geological Survey seismologist Susan Hough said there would likely be more aftershocks in the "threes, maybe a four," and there was a 5 percent chance of a larger quake.
"People should be on their toes," she said.
The original quake was the strongest to strike the area since the magnitude-5.5 earthquake that hit in Chino Hills last July 29.
In Los Angeles, burglar alarms were triggered and a Chevron refinery had a "burnoff," when excess refinery gases were burned, said Sgt. Mike Gill of the El Segundo Police Department. Burnoffs are standard procedure after an earthquake, Gill said.
The city fire department went on "earthquake emergency mode," although there was no damage reported, according to police and fire officials. Fire engines at stations in the quake area were initially taken out of their garages as a precaution but were later returned.
Officials at Los Angeles International Airport, which is near the epicenter, released a statement saying, "Operations are normal and there are no flight delays following preliminary inspections of terminals, the airfield, Sepulveda Tunnel and other areas of the LAX Central Terminal Area."
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A similar statement was issued by officials at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana in Orange County.
NBCSanDiego.com readers from all over the county reported feeling the quake.
“In our home in Chula Vista (Rolling Hills Area) my kid felt it in his room, and came running down the stairs,” Zenny wrote. “My husband felt shaking and at the same time the windows were shaking and making a lot of noise... I just thought I had gotten dizzy... but my hubby alerted all of us and got all our children and went under the table and prayed together.”
“I'm in Vista and the books on the top shelf of my bookcase fell off,” Ferhol wrote.
“We felt a very strong JOLT in 4s ranch; I was on the phone with my boyfriend and we both felt it at exactly the same time-it felt like something was under my couch and it moved BIG TIME,” Suzy wrote.
“Felt it in PB, 1st earthquake ever... scary,” Julie G. wrote.
“I was at home in Mira Mesa when I felt the earthquake. It lasted about 10 to 15 seconds. It was a shaking, a rolling feeling that I felt,” Michael Alexander wrote.
“I was at my computer and boy did I feel it," Cheri wrote. "I’m in Oceanside, near Camp Pendleton.”
“This quake significantly rattled my home in Temecula. It lasted for at least three to five seconds,” Jim wrote.
If you felt the quake please leave a comment below.
