00:004.9 quake triggers four aftershocks across southern california
00:04usgs says larger one could follow on january 19th a magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck southern
00:12california shaking more than 20 million people from the desert to the coast centered near indio
00:18the quake triggered an extended aftershock sequence that reignited concerns about the
00:22region's seismic risk even though no major damage or injuries were reported
00:26the quake hit at 5 56 pm about 12 miles northeast of indio near the mission creek strand of the san
00:34andreas fault its shallow depth under 3.1 kilometers intensified shaking across the coachella valley
00:42prompting more than 8 000 reports to the usgs initial alerts listed the quake as a magnitude 5.1 before
00:50being revised down and settling at 4.9 as more data came in this recalibration is normal california's
00:58shake alert system issued warnings within 5.9 seconds giving some residents a few seconds to react
01:05within the first hour at least four aftershocks above magnitude 3.0 were recorded with dozens
01:11following through the evening these strike slip quakes reflected sideways ground movement typical of
01:17the region seismologist dr lucy jones emphasized that while such aftershock sequences are considered
01:24normal they span a wide range of outcomes small quakes do not release enough stress to reduce the risk
01:31of larger ones emergency surveys found no serious injuries structural damage or power outages modern building
01:39codes helped limit impacts despite level 5 to 6 shaking near the epicenter by january 20th more than 250
01:47aftershocks were recorded ranging from magnitude 0.8 to 4.3 keeping residents on edge across desert
01:54communities usgs forecasts showed a five percent chance the quake was a foreshock with very low odds
02:01of a magnitude 6.0 plus or 7.0 plus event but a high likelihood of continued smaller aftershocks
02:08a magnitude 4.2 quake struck early january 21st followed by additional tremors confirming the swarm was
02:15still active data showed very shallow quakes on north trending faults near but not directly on the main
02:22san andreas fault shallow depth and sediment filled desert basins amplified shaking knocking items off
02:28shelves despite the moderate magnitude alerts provided up to six seconds of warning in some areas
02:34underscoring how even a brief notice can reduce injuries the 1992 joshua tree lander sequence showed that
02:42moderate earthquakes can precede major ones a lesson echoed by the january 2026 indio quake
02:49while damage was limited the events reinforced the need for continued vigilance
02:54usgs forecasts point to continued low-level aftershocks in the short term more than 70 percent of
03:01californians live near major faults and statewide projections show a near certainty of a magnitude
03:067 plus earthquake within the next 30 years officials stress that preparation is critical residents are
03:14urged to practice drop cover and hold on review emergency plans stock essential supplies and use alert apps
03:22like my shake to stay ready for future shaking
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