Banning quakes, Idyllwild shakes

Several earthquakes that occurred near Banning were felt in the Idyllwild area on Monday, Dec. 11. The strongest, registering 4.3 local magnitude, occurred at 6:36 p.m. Its epicenter was 3 miles north-northeast of Banning, with a depth of 7.1 kilometers (4.4 miles). Two others, originating from the same location, occurred earlier in the day — a 3.1-magnitude quake at 3:24 p.m. and a 3.2-magnitude quake at 3:33 p.m.

Earthquakes of this size, while a little unnerving, are quite common. Quakes measuring 3.0 to 3.9 on the Richter scale are often felt, but rarely cause damage. There are about 49,000 earthquakes of this magnitude every year. Quakes measuring 4.0 to 4.9, of which there are about 6,200 each year, usually cause noticeable shaking of indoor items, but significant damage is unlikely. No immediate damage or injuries were reported as a result of Monday’s quakes.

Beth Nottley wrote this story and she can be reached at beth@towncrier.com.