5.1 Magnitude Quake, Epicenter Near La Habra, Felt Across Long Beach (Mar. 28)

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Countdown Clocks

(Mar. 29, 2014) -- As first flashed on LBREPORT.com's front page within moments, a 5.1 magnitude earthquake with its epicenter near La Habra delivered moderate intensity shaking across Long Beach (roughly 23-28 miles away) on Friday night Mar. 28.

The quake struck at 9:09 p.m. and had a depth of 7.5 km (roughly 4.7 miles) according to the So. Cal Earthquake Center's website. It was preceded by a foreshock, a 3.6 magnitude quake at 8:03 p.m. with an epicenter in the same La Habra area. LBREPORT.com reader Charlie McGrail reported feeling the foreshock in ELB, which USGS said was lightly felt in LB. (For roughly six hours after a quake, there's a roughly 5% chance that a larger quake will follow; the likelihood of a larger quake drops to about 2.5% after six hours and declines further over a three day period says CalTech seismologist Lucy Jones.)

LB Fire Stations pulled their vehicles outdoors as a precaution, standard procedure after a quake. LBREPORT.com's Joe Mello snapped the photo below at 10:00 p.m. outside Station 22 on Atherton St. just west of Palo Verde Ave.

Photo by Joe Mello

As described on social networks and felt at LBREPORT.com's ELB headquarters, the 5.1 temblor began slowly and built with several jolts, followed by rolling for over ten seconds.

At Dodger stadium, L.A. Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully reacted brilliantly, seamlessly integrating a description of the quake into his play by play. The video clip below includes his description plus those of others.

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Video via Major League Baseball

Two hours after the quake, Ann Cantrell wrote on LBREPORT.com's Facebook page: "My cat was sitting on my lap. He dug his claws into my leg as he dashed to the garage. Is still in hiding."

LBREPORT.com's dog (a male bichon frise) and two cats (both female) [all adopted from area shelters] didn't behave strangely before the quake. During the shaking, the dog watched with interest alongside Mrs. LBREPORT.com; one of the two cats hid; the kidlets watched then went back to texting their friends.

On the "Modified Mercali Intensity Scale" which measures how strongly the quake is felt, USGS rated the temblor as experienced in Long Beach as a "4" or perhaps a "5," described as "moderate" intensity. The MMI scale describes a "4" as: "Felt indoors by many to all people, and outdoors by few people. Some awakened. Dishes, windows, and doors disturbed, and walls make cracking sounds. Chandeliers and indoor objects shake noticeably. The sensation is more like a heavy truck striking building. Standing automobiles rock noticeably. Dishes and windows rattle alarmingly. Damage none." (Areas closer to the epicenter obviously felt the quake more strongly.)

USGS "Did You Feel It" website reported MMI shaking intensity responses from respondents in LB zipcodes 90802, 90803, 90804, 90806, 90807, 90808, 90814 and 90815.