Light earthquake reported in the Greater L.A. area

A magnitude 3.5 earthquake has struck Southern California, with light shaking reported across the Los Angeles area, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

The quake occurred at 4:54 p.m. on Tuesday and was centered near Riverside at a shallow depth of 3.6 miles, the USGS reported. The epicenter was located approximately 3.8 miles from Rialto, 6.9 miles from San Bernardino, and about 48 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

Residents across the region took to social media to report the shaking. Some described it as a brief but sharp jolt, while others reported mild or weak shaking.

“Just had a nice earthquake here in San Bernardino, too close to the San Andreas for comfort,” one user posted.

Tuesday’s quake follows a magnitude 4.3 earthquake and a series of aftershocks that have affected the same region since Thursday. That earlier quake was felt widely, including in downtown Los Angeles and as far south as San Diego, according to responses submitted to the USGS.

The area where Tuesday’s quake occurred sits near several active fault zones, including the San Jacinto Fault Zone and the eastern segment of the Elsinore Fault. Both are major components of the broader fault system that accommodates much of the motion between the Pacific and North American tectonic plates.

The San Jacinto Fault in particular is considered one of the most active faults in Southern California and runs through San Bernardino and Riverside counties. The nearby San Andreas Fault, California’s most well-known fault line, also lies just to the north of the region.