California Experiences Over 350 Earthquakes, Residents Say 'Here We Go Again' - Los Angeles - 1

In Southern California's Imperial County near Brawley, over 350 earthquakes have occurred since last Friday, increasing anxiety among local residents. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), this earthquake swarm began around 5:40 PM on Friday and continued with various tremors until Saturday night.

The strongest quake was confirmed to be a magnitude 4.7 earthquake that occurred around 11:10 PM on Saturday. Residents in Brawley reported feeling strong shaking, and tremor reports were received from several Southern California cities, including El Centro, Calexico, Chula Vista, El Cajon, and Poway.

Although Imperial County, where the earthquakes occurred, is far from LA's Koreatown, many Koreans in the eastern LA area reported feeling the tremors.

In particular, the Korean community in Rancho Cucamonga, Rowland Heights, Corona, and Chino Hills shared reactions such as "the bed shook late at night" and "my phone's emergency alert went off." These areas have seen a significant increase in the Korean population in recent years.

While the magnitude itself was not large, the news of hundreds of earthquakes has created a considerable sense of unease among Koreans in Eastern Southern California.

In Korean communities in areas like Irvine, Buena Park, Fullerton, and Cerritos, posts have emerged stating, "I received a phone alert" and "the bed shook." Although strong shaking did not reach Koreatown in LA, there is significant interest among Southern California Koreans regarding the news of this earthquake swarm.

The California Office of Emergency Services (CAL OES) stated that it is currently working with local agencies to monitor the situation. So far, there have been no reports of injuries or significant property damage, and most of the earthquakes have remained at a minor level.

California Experiences Over 350 Earthquakes, Residents Say 'Here We Go Again' - Los Angeles - 2

The Brawley Seismic Zone, where these earthquakes occurred, is known for its active seismic activity.

Experts say this area has a complex structure where the Brawley Fault Zone and the Imperial Fault Zone are interconnected, and it is also associated with the San Andreas Fault system. The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) describes this region as one of the areas vulnerable to earthquake swarm phenomena.

Additionally, this area is known for active geothermal energy development, leading to analyses suggesting that the geological structure and energy development environment may be interacting. However, the USGS has stated that the exact cause of this earthquake swarm has not yet been determined.

During this period of seismic activity, California's early warning system, ShakeAlert, was activated multiple times.

Just before the magnitude 4.7 earthquake, emergency alert messages were sent to nearby residents' cell phones. This system is designed to send warnings a few seconds before strong shaking begins, allowing residents time to protect themselves.

Experts explain that earthquake swarms are not uncommon in California. However, they report that if hundreds of earthquakes occur in a short period, it can increase residents' fatigue and anxiety. In fact, among local residents, there are concerns that this might be a precursor to a larger earthquake, with reactions like "here we go again."

The USGS explains that most earthquake swarms do not lead to major earthquakes, but there is still a possibility of aftershocks for the time being. It has been confirmed that small earthquakes of magnitude 2 to 3 are still occurring intermittently.

Authorities have urged residents to follow the "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" safety guidelines if they feel an earthquake or receive a warning alert.