Breaking: San Diego Earthquake/Mexico Earthquake, 3:40 PST, April 4, 2010 UPDATED, (PHOTOS), (VIDEO), Scroll for Updates

by the Left Coast Rebel

(Editor's Note) New readers in San Diego, Southern CA, please bookmark the Left Coast Rebel. Also read Temple of Mut's San Diego coverage as well. Thank you for linking, Instapundit, likewise Gateway Pundit!

Just breaking (nearly, literally) a big earthquake came rolling through San Diego, centered in Baja California. It clocked in a 6.9 in Mexico. I'll be back in mere moments for updates.

UPDATED: More than anything, I couldn't believe how long the earthquake lasted here in North County, San Diego. It literally rolled on and on here. I could hear neighbors nearby saying 'is this the big one?' More than anything, I felt a bit seasick from the motion. Probably the biggest earthquake I have felt since the 1990s......

UPDATED: x2 Details I was looking for. The epicenter was Mexicali, Mexico:



UPDATED x3:Another shot of the earthquake from USGS.gov, the best source of information on this earthquake:

UPDATED x3: Another graphic via USGS, be sure to check in here often, I am searching for Mexican news accounts of this earthquake. Does anyone know the damage toll in Mexico? Any deaths related or property damage?

UPDATED x5:I'm reading first hand accounts at USGS that the 6.9 Mexicali quake was felt as far away as Arizona.


Reuters - A strong magnitude 6.9 earthquake was reported on Sunday in Baja California, Mexico, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The quake occurred at 15:40 Pacific time (6:40 p.m. EDT) 16 miles south southwest of Guadalupe Victoria, at a depth of 20 miles. The quake was 108 miles east southeast of Tijuana.

The quake was felt in downtown Los Angeles.

Five small earthquakes struck Saturday and today in the same area of northern Baja California and were close enough to be felt in San Diego County.

The largest hit Saturday just after 4 p.m. and was estimated at magnitude 4.3. Its epicenter was about 30 miles southeast of Calexico and 100 miles east of Tijuana, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The first weekend quake was magnitude 3.2 at 1:40 p.m. Saturday, and it was followed by a magnitude 3.2 at 12:52 a.m. and a 3.4 shaker at 2:36 a.m. today, according to the USGS.

There was no known damage as a result of the quakes, the latest of hundreds of small quakes that have been rattling the Imperial Valley and East County since 2007. The swarm is centered near Guadalupe Victoria, a small farming town 19 miles southeast of Mexicali.

A small volcano there erupted about 10,000 years ago, and geologists say the quake swarm emanates from shallow magma fields associated with tectonic forces that are steadily separating Baja California from the rest of North America

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UPDATED x6: More from WikiNews:

The US Geological Survey on the afternoon of Easter Sunday monitored a large earthquake in the southern Imperial Valley south of Mexicali, Mexico near the Colorado River, at about 15:40 PDT (22:40 Z). It was felt throughout the surrounding area for a great distance.

The USGS reports that the epicentre was 26 kilometres (16 miles) south-southwest from Guadalupe Victoria, Baja California, Mexico, and 173 kilometres (108 miles) east-southeast from Tijuana, Baja California, at a depth of 32.3 kilometres (20.1 miles).

According to witnesses, the quake was felt as far away as Los Angeles, California.

I read that Guadalupe Victoria is a small farming town. That is good news, meaning that there will be less property damage, injuries, etc. No injuries or property damage reported in San Diego as of now as well. Also, the distance from Mexicali to Los Angeles is 186 miles.

UPDATED x7: The updated shakemap from USGS.gov shows large aftershocks in the Mexico/CA border area. At this point, nothing exceeds the initial 6.9 shaker. Be sure to click each red box for characteristics at USGS.gov (Editor's Note) - The graphic below is a static image. Go to USGS.gov for the interactive map.

UPDATED x8: KNX 1070 out of Los Angeles is carrying the Mexico/CA earthquake news live. As of this moment, (4:37 PST), they are talking to a Mexican resident talkig to a reporter from inside a church. She said that the quake was so strong (Mexicali, I believe) that she and her family could not even stand in the street due to the motion. Also, they could hear breaking glass, etc. Still no definitive injury or property damage reports. She mentioned that people in her area were taken to the local hospital. Also, CBS is carrying live video.

UPDATED x9: I just spoke with a reader in Riverside County, CA and they felt the earthquake seemingly as well as I did. Also, they noted several small cracks in the ceiling in their home that had not been there (hi, Mom!).

UPDATED x10: I just read that several highrises in Los Angeles went on city-wide 'earthquake alert' and elevators stopped with people inside. Also, the elevator (or one of them) at the Disneyland hotel was shut down as well. Is it up and running now? This should come as a shock to anyone but the rides at Disneyland have been shut down as well.

UPDATED x11: The Disneyland Hotel Elevator situation is a false rumor. No one was trapped in the Disneyland elevator. Also, I heard an account from an L.A. resident that mentioned that her swimming pool sloshed around so violently that much of the water ended up in their backyard and out of the pool.

UPDATED x12: The Mexicali earthquake was just upgraded at USGS.gov to a 7.2. Record number of aftershocks all across the Mexico/San Diego border area now. Check out this updated USGS.gov shot:

UPDATED x13: Here's one to tuck away for the X Files. A listener called into San Diego's Kogo and mentioned that her family owns turkeys at a local farm. The turkeys started 'gobbling' minutes before the earthquake hit at 3:40 PST. Gobble, Gobble!Also, all joking aside, I am searching and searching for any information on damage/injuries in the Mexicali area. Please comment here if you have any information.

UPDATED x14: Here's why details are hard to come by on damage/injury reports from Mexicali, Mexico, via L.A. Times:

Information about quake damage in Mexico remains sketchy. According to Reuters, there have been reports of people trapped in elevators, collapsed retaining walls and power outages in and around Mexicali. Telephone lines were down and items fell off of shelves and bookcases, according to reports.

UPDATED x15: Here is a list of the significant quakes in the series today:

* 15:34, Guadalupe Victoria, BC, magnitude 3.3 Richter
* 15:40, Guadalupe Victoria, BC, 7.2
* 15:56, Borrego Springs, CA, 3.9
* 16:09, Jacumba Hot Springs, CA, 4.5
* 16:10, Malibu, CA, 3.0
* 16:15, Imperial, CA, 5.1
* 16:19, Jacumba Hot Springs, CA, 3.8
* 16:20, Julian, CA, 3.6
* 16:25, Guadalupe Victoria, BC, 5.4
* 16:34, Calexico, CA, 4.3
* 16:37, Mexicali, BC, 4.7
* 16:46, Seeley, CA, 3.5
* 16:48, Holtville, CA, 3.4
* 16:49, North Shore, CA, 3.4
* 16:53, Seeley, CA, 3.6
* 16:57, Seeley, CA, 3.9

UPDATED x16: I am hearing first hand accounts of property damage here in San Diego. I assume that it will take time to know just what we are looking at. Via Memeorandum,CNN has a report up
that highlights property damage - at least in a Barnes and Noble bookstore in Palm Desert:

Palm Desert is outside of Los Angeles. Leave comments here at the Left Coast Rebel if you have first hand accounts of damage or otherwise.

UPDATED x16: A reader just commented here and said that he felt the quake in Las Vegas, Nevada. Also, some damage reports in San Diego via San Diego's 6:

People report to San Diego 6 News from throughout the region that items fell off shelves. There are some reports of cracked buildings in North Park. There are also reports of broken windows in Santee and El Cajon.

San Diego firefighters were sent to check reported damage at an old building at 4133 Kansas St., and police reported several water main breaks across the city.

Also, some photos of damage in Mexicali, someone shot these of a store just moments ago:

I hope everyone is safe and unharmed in Mexicali.

UPDATED x17: Water-Main Breaks:

Authorities have confirmed that the quake caused at least two water-main breaks in this region. One was reported near Mission Bay High School and the other was at the Nordstrom store in Fashion Valley, said San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokesman Maurice Luque.

A shot of the San Diego Fire Department cleaning up after the Fashion Valley water-main break via SignonSD:

UPDATED x18:Another reader in Scottsdale, Arizona commented here and said that he felt the quake. Donald Douglas at American Power has more pictures from Twitpic, the first being from Mexicali showing extensive damage:

American Power also has shots of people fleeing Disneyland and a CNN video of a family in Hemet California. The video shows their swimming pool having the water literally shaken out of it. Be sure to check it out.

UPDATED x19: I just found a collection of pictures from Mexicali of the earthquake damage via Twitpic (LA Weekly who also has great coverage):

A home in Mexicali (A commenter said that no one was inside this house):

Buckled Streets:

Car:

Fallen transformers on sidewalk/Guadalupe, Victoria:

UPDATED x20: By the way, can I just say how vastly important alternative media now is? I literally have access to photos and information that the giant legacy media doesn't!

Another reader here said that his Orange County pool lost over a foot of water. Also, a commenter just asked if there is news re: injuries, etc. in Mexicali as he has family there. CNN is reporting that there is at least 1 fatality in Mexicali so far along with injuries and structural damage:

At least one person was killed in a building collapse in Mexicali, according to the assistant director of civil protection in Tijuana.

Reports of injuries and other structural damage also have been made in northwest Mexico, according to Alfredo Escobedo, Mexico's director of civil protection.

In California and Arizona, there were no immediate reports of injuries and only limited reports of damages.

Local San Diego radio mentioned that several people are trapped in a Tijuana elevator. I will see if I can find information on this.

UPDATED x21: A commenter just left this:

...just heard from my family in guadalupe victoria, my family is ok, no injuries i hope all the same. thanks for your updated site. good luck to all.

I hope that good news like this keeps coming in!

UPDATED x22: ABC 7 Los Angeles video, reaction from L.A. residents:


UPDATED 23: Another smashed car, Mexicali:

UPDATED x24: Another shot via USGS.gov of the aftershocks, several in the last hour alone:

UPDATED x25: A local San Diego resident caught the earthquake via. surveillance camera footage at his residence. Wow!


Also, out of NBC-L.A., more aftershocks to come?:


UPDATED x26: A list, via SignonSanDiego of the recent temblors in California:

A list of the biggest quakes in recent California history, measured by magnitude:

7.3, Landers, Calif., June 28, 1992, three deaths

7.2, Cape Mendocino, Calif., April 25, 1992

7.2 (estimate), Southeast of Mexicali, Mexico, April 4, 2010

7.2, Off coast of Northern California, June 14, 2005

7.1, Hector Mine, Calif., Oct. 16, 1999

7.0, Honeydew, Calif., Aug. 17, 1991

7.0, Cape Mendocino, Calif., Sept. 1, 1994

6.9, Loma Prieta, Calif., Oct. 18, 1989, 63 deaths

6.7, Northridge, Calif., Jan. 17, 1994, 60 deaths

6.6, San Simeon, Calif., Dec. 22, 2003, 2 deaths

6.6, Off coast of Northern California, June 16, 2005

6.5, Off coast near Eureka, Jan. 9, 2010

6.2, Joshua Tree, Calif., April 23, 1992

6.0, Central California, Sept. 28, 2004

5.9, Humboldt County, Feb. 4, 2010

5.6, Sierra Madre, Calif., June 28, 1991, two deaths

5.6, San Francisco Bay Area, Calif., Oct. 30, 2007

Also, via PJTV, Ed Driscoll, (thanks for the link!), a musician in San Diego practicing today gets more 'bass and baritone' than she bargained for:


UPDATED x27: Before I blow up my site due to exceeding post-size and bandwidth (due to tens of thousands of views this afternoon), I thought that I would leave you with several photos of the damage done by the earthquake in CA/San Diego.Photos via NBC San Diego:

First off, a bridge in El Centro that was closed due to damage:

Windows blasted out at the north and south entrance of the Sports Arena in San Diego:

Lastly, cracking in the stucco wall of an apartment in North Park, San Diego: