A series of earthquakes rattled the Brawley area of Imperial County on Saturday evening, beginning with a 3.5-magnitude quake at 4:14 p.m. that struck nearly two miles west-south-west of Brawley, California, at a depth of just over eight and a half miles.
That first jolt was followed by at least 11 more earthquakes, including quakes of 2.6, 2.8, 3.5, 3.4, 3.1, 2.6, 4.4, 2.9, 2.7, 2.5 and 4.0 magnitude. The largest of the group, a 4.4-magnitude quake, struck at 7:22 p.m. at a depth of just over nine miles, and the last quake was recorded at 8:13 p.m.
No injuries or damage were immediately reported. The city of Brawley said it was aware of the recent earthquake activity, that public safety personnel were actively monitoring conditions and that there were no reports of significant damage or threats to public safety. It also urged residents to stay alert and prepared, since aftershocks may occur.
The U.S. Geological Survey initially recorded the 4.4-magnitude quake at 4.1 magnitude before updating the measurement later. That detail matters because it shows how quickly a swarm can unfold before the final picture is fully set, even as local officials focus on whether the shaking stays limited to rumbling and not something worse.
For Brawley, the immediate question is not whether the ground moved — it did, repeatedly — but whether the next tremor lands with more force than the ones that came before it.
