Sedona Sweginnis | Sports Editor
April 18, 2025
At just after 10am PST on Monday morning, a 5.2-magnitude earthquake rumbled through much of Southern California. The epicenter of this quake was in Julian, California, a small mountain town known for its pies a little over an hour outside of San Diego. Shaking was felt throughout Southern California, as far north as the southern part of Los Angeles County as well as the northernmost piece of Baja California in Mexico.
Thankfully, there are no reported casualties or serious injuries as a result of tremor. Additionally, there was no significant structural damage. Those nearest to the shake felt somewhat violent, quaking powerful enough to knock down picture frames or other items from shelves, but not strong enough to cause any real damage. Fortunately, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was able to detect the quake beneath the surface in time to send out a warning signal to those who would be affected. This alert provided people with enough time to take shelter under a desk or table.
The shaking reached students at San Clemente High School at the beginning of their second period classes immediately following the alert. Sophomore Emily Jahed recounted that she was not expecting it when she “saw the alert” and was even more “surprised” when “it actually happened,” but she described the rolling sensation to be “kind of exciting.” The shaking that reached San Clemente was still powerful enough to be felt, but too small to be of any real threat to buildings or people. Sophomore Karma Williamson also “wasn’t really stressed about it” when the earthquake happened, even though she explained that she had “never experienced an earthquake at school before.”
While some people were shaken up by the tremor, the majority found it slightly interesting but insignificant to their daily lives. However, despite the little damage caused by this particular earthquake, it served as a reminder to the power of earthquakes, particularly those coming from the lesser-known Elsinore fault. While the San Andreas fault is well-known and studied by seismologists throughout the world for its large-scale seismic activity and quaking capabilities, its smaller offshoots, including the Elsinore fault, are also capable of notably-sized earthquakes.
While it has remained relatively quiet throughout the majority of its measurable history, its recent 5.2 quake served as a reminder that this roughly 110 mile long fault zone is capable of earthquakes measuring up to a 7.8 magnitude, which are capable of significant damage. The significant length and capability of this little-known fault encourages its increased study to ensure that the residents of Southern California and Mexico will be adequately prepared and receive an early enough warning in the event of a quake of catastrophic magnitude.
While this quake varied between a frightening shake-up for some and a pleasant ride for others, the sizable 5.2 earthquake in Julian this Monday serves as a reminder of the power that earthquakes have, especially those stemming from the Elsinore Fault line.
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