Magnitude 5.0 earthquake strikes Greater Los Angeles Area, Calif.
The main shock was followed by a swarm of aftershocks including a magnitude 3.1. More tremors should be expected in the area in the coming days.
Earthquake Details
Magnitude: 5.0
Date-Time:
- Monday, May 18, 2009 at 03:39:36 UTC
- Sunday, May 17, 2009 at 08:39:36 PM at epicenter
Location of Epicenter
10-degree Map Centered at 35°N,120°W – USGS
Location: 33.940°N, 118.338°W
Depth: 13.5 km (8.4 miles)
Region: GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIFORNIA
Distances:
- 2 km (1 miles) E (91°) from Lennox, CA
- 2 km (1 miles) SSE (159°) from Inglewood, CA
- 3 km (2 miles) NNE (22°) from Hawthorne, CA
- 15 km (10 miles) SSW (213°) from Los Angeles Civic Center, CA
Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 0.4 km (0.2 miles); depth +/- 0.9 km (0.6 miles)
Parameters: Nph=139, Dmin=7 km, Rmss=0.42 sec, Gp= 40°,
M-type=local magnitude (ML), Version=C
Source: California Integrated Seismic Net/ USGS Caltech CGS UCB UCSD UNR
Event ID: ci10410337
Historical Seismicity
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are resistant to earthquake shaking, though some vulnerable structures exist. A magnitude 5.2 earthquake occurred near the Whittier Narrows, California, region 21 km northeast of the location of this earthquake on October 4, 1987 (UTC), with estimated population exposures of 477,000 at intensity VII and 2,994,000 at intensity VI, resulting in an estimated 1 fatality. On January 17, 1994 (UTC), a magnitude 6.7 earthquake occurred near the Northridge, California, region 32 km northwest of the location of this earthquake, with estimated population exposures of 73,000 at intensity IX or greater and 2,181,000 at intensity VIII, resulting in an estimated 33 fatalities. Recent earthquakes in this area have caused, landslides and liquefaction that may have contributed to losses. [Source: USGS – Earthquake Hazard Program]
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