4.9 magnitude earthquake, aftershocks rattle Indio in Southern California near San Andreas fault
A 4.9-magnitude earthquake and several aftershocks rattled Southern California on Monday night, according to the United States Geological Survey.
The first and largest quake happened approximately five miles northeast of Indio Hills, which is in the Palm Desert region of Riverside County, at around 5:57 p.m., the USGS reported. It occurred at a geological depth of nearly two miles. The preliminary magnitude of the earthquake was first reported as 5.1 before it was downgraded to 4.6 and then adjusted to 4.9 by USGS officials.
The initial shake was followed by a series of smaller earthquakes, the largest of which was registered at a magnitude of 3.4, according to the USGS. The other two temblors registered at 3.3 and 2.9.
As of 6:30 p.m., more than 3,000 people reported feeling shaking across Southern California via the USGS' "Did You Feel It" report system. Some, as far south as the California-Mexico border near San Diego, made reports, while others, as far northeast as Thousand Oaks, also said they felt it.
Related: Dr. Lucy Jones discusses California's numerous fault lines
The region where the earthquakes took place is in proximity to the infamous San Andreas Fault system, where a similar series of earthquakes jolted Southern California in 2025. Seismologists said that the region experienced an elevated level of quakes in 2025 when compared to years past. Typically, Southern California experiences as many as 10,000 earthquakes annually, most of which are too small to be felt in a large radius and register between 2.5 and 5.4 magnitude, the USGS says.
There have not yet been any reports of injury or damage from the temblors.
