Another earthquake rattles southern California following 5.1 quake

Broken bottles are seen on the floor after falling off the shelves at a CVS pharmacy, following a magnitude 5.1 earthquake in Fullerton, California, on March 29, 2014. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Broken bottles are seen on the floor after falling off the shelves at a CVS pharmacy, following a magnitude 5.1 earthquake in Fullerton, California, on March 29, 2014. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

(REUTERS) - Residents of southern California were rattled by a 4.1 magnitude earthquake on Saturday afternoon, the largest of more than 100 aftershocks following Friday's 5.1 rumbler that caused light scattered damage around the Los Angeles area.

Saturday's quake rippled through an area near Rowland Heights, California, about 2.32pm (5.32am Singapore time), according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The temblor was considered relatively shallow with a depth of 9km, the USGS said.

Aftershocks are expected following earthquakes, according to the USGS. Seismologists said there was about a 5 per cent chance that Friday's quake, which struck at 9.09pm, was a foreshock to a bigger temblor.

No injuries were immediately reported from either Saturday's quake or the more significant earthquake that struck Friday evening outside La Habra, California, which is about 32km east of downtown Los Angeles.

Friday's temblor displaced at least 50 people in Fullerton, about 8km from the epicentre, because of minor damage to homes and apartment dwellings, Fullerton Police Lieutenant Mike Chlebowski said.

As well, a water main break in the city forced the closure of some streets due to flooding, he said.

The quake also shook items off tables, rattled chandeliers and resulted in scattered damage to cars and property, including setting off a rockslide in the Orange County city of Brea that flipped a car on its roof.

Friday's quake was felt as far away as Palm Springs in the east, San Diego in the south and Ventura County to the north.

While not large, the event "seems unusual, of course, because a lot of people felt it", said Mr Doug Given, a USGS geophysicist.

"These quakes occur in populated areas and people try to put two and two together and predict that something more is coming, but that's simply not the case," he said.

The quake shut down Metrolink trains to allow for inspection of tracks and cars. In Anaheim, Disneyland briefly turned off park rides as a precaution and asked guests to remain seated.

But the Los Angeles (LA) Philharmonic did not miss a note even as the quake rattled downtown Los Angeles's Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Los Angeles Times reported.

"The LA Philharmonic should get combat pay," audience member Michael Healy told the newspaper.

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