Two earthquakes hit San Diego in "absolutely crazy" coincidence

San Diego, California - A pair of small earthquakes occurred one second apart late Sunday on different fault systems south of the US-Mexico border, producing light shaking in areas of San Diego County, according to the US Geological Survey.

Two earthquakes occurred one second apart on different fault systems south of the US-Mexico border, producing light shaking in areas of San Diego County.
Two earthquakes occurred one second apart on different fault systems south of the US-Mexico border, producing light shaking in areas of San Diego County.  © albund

"That's absolutely crazy," said Tom Rockwell, a seismologist at San Diego State University. "It's very random that quakes on separate faults happen at about the same time."

The first quake was a 3.4-magnitude temblor that hit at 5:13 PM PT about 5 miles west-southwest of Tecate, Mexico, and 15 miles west-southwest of Campo. It was immediately followed by a 3.6 quake about 23 miles west-southwest of Progreso, Mexico, and 31 miles east-southeast of Campo.

There was no immediate indication that shaking on the first quake triggered the second.

Small quakes regularly occur in and around the US-Mexico border, but rarely lead to large events, Rockwell said.

Cover photo: albund

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