A succession of minor earthquakes unsettled residents in the communities of Lennox and Westmont from Friday night to Saturday. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), 90 micro-quakes occurred in the unincorporated areas of Lennox and Westmont. These earthquakes ranged in magnitude from 1.0 to 2.7 and were recorded from 8:05 p.m. on Friday until 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.
The seismic activity was centered around the Newport-Inglewood Fault Zone. This strike-slip fault extends from Culver City to Newport Beach. A study in 2017 raised concerns about the fault’s potential danger, showing that past earthquakes in the area might have reached a magnitude of 7.5, causing notable ground subsidence at Seal Beach.
Recently, the same fault zone near Compton experienced a magnitude 3.2 earthquake. People across various cities and neighborhoods, including Crenshaw, Huntington Park, Bell, West Adams, Mid-City, and Gardena, reported feeling the tremors through social media posts.
The USGS, responsible for monitoring earthquakes, was unavailable for immediate comments on the event. Nevertheless, their information suggests that minor quakes do not typically indicate a larger earthquake. Additionally, the USGS clarified that seismic activity is not significantly influenced by heavy rain, like the recent storm that hit Los Angeles in September. However, they acknowledged that heavy rain or drought could influence fault zones slightly. A study indicated that rainfall patterns could lead to minor changes in micro-quake rates.
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