- The quake struck shortly before midnight and shook large parts of Southern California and Mexico
San Diego residents were woken up just before midnight by a magnitude 4.8 earthquake that shook the city and surrounding areas.
The quake prompted dozens of locals to flood social media to check whether others had felt the tremors.
According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred in Imperial County, near the California-Mexico border. The epicenter was about 100 miles east of San Diego.
A map provided by the USGS showed that the quake affected a large area from Southern California to Mexico’s Baja California region.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
The quake struck shortly before midnight and shook large parts of Southern California and Mexico
A map provided by the US Geological Survey showing communities affected by the earthquake
A map illustrating the extent of tremors in affected areas
One resident wrote on X: “I felt it in Mission Valley.” My bed was shaking. It woke me up.’ Another joked: “I live near San Ysidro and I felt my couch move, I thought I was just dizzy!”
While another said: “I woke up my wife in Carmel Valley and of course she’s freaking out.”
Each year in California, millions participate in the ShakeOut exercise, a statewide preparedness program.
The ShakeOut earthquake drills are coordinated by the Southern California Earthquake Center at the University of Southern California.
The event focuses on the “drop, cover and hold on” mantra for basic personal safety, but also includes measures such as slowing down passenger trains for several minutes.
“We really recommend that people make themselves less of a target for things that cause injuries,” said Mark Benthien, SCEC communications director and lead organizer of ShakeOut.
The ShakeOut exercise was conducted in California in 2008. The first exercise was based on a scenario of a magnitude 7.8 earthquake on the southern section of the powerful San Andreas Fault in California. It’s the kind of devastating quake that experts warn will happen one day – although they can’t say when.
The drill has since expanded internationally. Schools, government organizations, businesses and others sign up to participate. According to organizers, more than 10 million people were registered in California this year and millions more worldwide.
Compared to 15 years ago, Benthien said, “thanks to ShakeOut, many more people are preparing and practicing earthquake safety every year.”