Hurriquake: Magnitude 5.1 Earthquake Rattles Southern California
A magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck Southern California near Ojai as Hurricane Hilary was waning, creating a 'hurriquake.' The epicenter was northwest of Los Angeles. Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones noted it was the first magnitude 5 event in the Ventura basin since 1932. Over 100 fire stations in Los Angeles conducted damage assessments; no significant structural damage or injuries were reported. Two aftershocks of magnitudes 3.1 and 3.6 followed. Hurricane Hilary became a post-tropical cyclone. Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency and deployed over 7,500 troops. The National Weather Service warned of life-threatening flooding in Ventura County. Death Valley experienced intense rainfall. The 1994 earthquake released 125 times more energy than this one.