EARTHQUAKE RATTLES SAN DIEGO COUNTY

February 1, 2010 – An earthquake measuring 4.4 on the Richter Scale struck off the Baja California coast at 6:19 a.m. The quake’s epicenter was 41 miles southwest of Imperial Beach, at a depth of four miles under the ocean floor, the U.S. Geological Service reports. It was felt throughout San Diego County, including East County, though no reports of damage have been received.

The quake appears to have occurred at the San Diego Trough Fault Zone, said Morgan Page with the U.S. Geological Service. A 3.6 aftershock occurred shortly after the initial jolt.

With any quake, there is about a 5% chance that it can be a precursor of a larger tremor, Page noted. But she added that the chance of a quake larger enough to cause major concern remains minimal.
 

For information on how to prepare your family and household for an earthquake, visit: http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/oes/docs/family.pdf
 

For what to do during an earthquake, check: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/01/offshore-quake-rolls-thro...

For steps to take after a major quake, see: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/earthquakes/after.asp.