After A Series Of Quakes, Residents Of Glen Avon Are Shaken Not Stirred

GLEN AVON (CBSLA)  —  It may not have been the Big One but there have been enough Small Ones to rattle the folks of Glen Avon.

This weekend, the area has had several quakes — one Saturday at 3.1 and another Sunday at 3.3.

There have been hundreds of others that registered more than 1.0.

CBS2/KCAL9’s Jeff Nguyen went to Glen Avon and found people concerned but not exactly worried.

For Virginia Hidalgo life in the Glen Avon neighborhood of Jurupa Valley has been bumpy lately.

“Recently, it’s been like a roller coaster. Like, I was minding my own business, and then the earth is like shaking and I don’t know what;s like going on,” said Hidalgo.

A swarm of more than 250-earthquakes — mostly small — have hit this part of Riverside County since last Saturday.

(credit: CBS)

Experts at Caltech say the number is drawing headlines but it’s not out of the ordinary.

“There have been many swarms that have happened in many different regions of Southern California. But there haven’t been large earthquakes following them,” says Caltech Senior Seismic Analyst Nick Scheckel.

Bottom line: it doesn’t mean the Big One is on the way.

In fact, more than 95 percent of the recent quakes were at or below 1.9 magnitude.

Try telling those who felt the 3.3 shaker this afternoon.

“It did make me nervous. I was like looking for like a platform of the door. Maybe I would run to there but it finished right away,” says Hidalgo.

Seismologists say the exact reason behind a swarm is unclear but we need to remember one fact: Southern California is earthquake country.

“I’m hoping that it’s kind of relieving some of the pressure. So we won’t have the big one,” says Glen Avon resident John Scollo.

Southern California hasn’t had what experts call a large earthquake in 15 years so experts say we shouldn’t be complacent.

The possibility and potential are always there — so be ready:

“And now seeing this, like, it’s making me realize that we really need to prepare,” says Hidalgo.

And speaking of being prepared, officials remind people to have an earthquake kit handy — you want to make sure you have enough food and water to last for several days. Also, you want fresh batteries to be able to operate radios and flashlights.

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