Baja Continues to Shake

The sequence of earthquakes coming out of Northern Baja is quite impressive and is not showing any signs of slowing down. It resembles an aftershock sequence you might see after a 6+ earthquake. But there was no 6+ earthquake. In fact, the quake which started this was only a 5.4.

The quake was originally posted as a 5.4 and later downgraded to a 5.1. There is still some debate over the true magnitude of this quake. It will take some time to determine the actual magnitude. It should be somewhere between 5.1 and 5.5.

As of the time of this report the 5.4 quake has been followed by at least 35 aftershocks with a magnitude of 3.0 or greater. Five have been greater than 4.0 and two have been 5.0 or greater. In total there have been over 200 aftershocks.

How does this compare with previous quakes in the area? Data from previous years shows that in May of 2006 a 5.4 earthquake produced 16 aftershocks of 3.0 or greater. In February of 2002 a 5.7 quake in the same area produced nearly fifty 3.0+ aftershocks.

The question that I'm sure everyone is asking is whether something bigger and more destructive is on the way. Nobody can say for sure. The 5.7 quake in 2002 was preceded by increased seismic activity which started in December of 2001.

It is always best to be prepared. Plan as if a stronger quake is on the way. Make sure you are prepared by having a supply of bottled water and non-perishable food. Always sleep with a pair of shoes and a flash light near your bed. Make sure there are no loose items or furniture that could fall and hurt someone.

It's a good idea to always be prepared. The mainshock is usually the largest and most destructive, and waiting until after the mainshock to get prepared is a bad idea.

Here is a link for more tips on how to prepare for an earthquake and what to do after one strikes.ALWAYS BE PREPARED

Here is our latest image showing the region affected by these quakes (click on it to enlarge):