A 5.2-magnitude earthquake shook Southern California on Monday morning, causing noticeable disruptions, including boulders tumbling onto rural roadways near San Diego. This seismic event rattled items off shelves in various locations and caused elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park to scramble protectively around their young. Fortunately, officials reported no injuries or significant damage from this earthquake.
The quake, recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey, struck at 10:08 a.m. local time and was centered in San Diego County, just a few miles (approximately 4 kilometers) from Julian, a quaint mountain town known for its apple pie shops and home to about 1,500 residents. The tremor was felt as far north as Los Angeles County, which is around 120 miles (193 kilometers) away. Following the initial quake, several aftershocks were reported.
Paul Nelson, the owner of a former gold mine in Julian, shared his experience, stating, “I thought the single-pane windows were going to crack because they were shaking pretty good, but they didn’t.” He noted that while some picture frames in his gift shop fell over, the tourist-explorable tunnels remained unscathed. Interestingly, Nelson mentioned a smaller quake occurred just the day before, but visitors remained calm throughout the occurrence.
Transportation officials issued warnings to motorists to be cautious of rocks that had tumbled down hillsides onto roads and highways, particularly on State Route 76 northwest of Julian. The California Department of Transportation in San Diego County is currently assessing roadways for any potential damage.
At the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, a herd of African elephants exhibited a remarkable behavior during the earthquake, as captured in a video. The elephants, including Ndlula, Umngani, Khosi, and their younger companions Zuli and Mkhaya, rushed to encircle their young in a protective stance known as an “alert circle.” The park noted that the herd appeared to relax after a few minutes.
In response to the earthquake, North County Transit District trains experienced delays as crews conducted inspections on the tracks for any possible damage. Capt. Thomas Shoots of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for San Diego County reported that schoolchildren were escorted outside buildings as a precaution during the tremors. “There was a lot of shaking and rattling around,” he remarked, but thankfully, everything returned to normal shortly after.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department reported no immediate damage or injuries following the earthquake. Riley Ozuna, owner of the Julian Cafe & Bakery, mentioned that some cups fell but reassured that “everything is OK.”
The earthquake struck at a depth of 8.3 miles (13.4 kilometers) near the Elsinore fault zone, one of California’s most active seismic regions, part of the renowned San Andreas fault system. Lucy Jones, a seasoned seismologist in Southern California, indicated that the previous day’s quake, a 3.5-magnitude tremor, was a foreshock to Monday’s larger event. Some residents of San Diego County who are subscribed to the early warning system by the USGS, known as ShakeAlert, received notifications seconds before the shaking began, while others were notified afterward.
Interestingly, over 2,000 miles (3,218 kilometers) away in Michigan, residents recovering from a significant ice storm received a “shake alert” on their devices from the USGS, stating, “Earthquake Detected! Drop, cover, hold on.” It was an inadvertent reference to the California quake. Portable cell towers from California are currently being utilized in Vanderbilt, Michigan, as the area continues to recover from the ice storm that left thousands without power. Lt. Ashley Miller remarked, “It is an odd alert to get in Michigan,” noting the unfortunate timing amidst their recovery efforts.
