A magnitude 3.5 earthquake occurred at 3:45 p.m. on Friday roughly 15 miles east of Julian, briefly producing shaking that was felt in much of San Diego County, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The temblor happened 7.3 miles below the earth’s surface, in the area of Anza Borrego Desert State Park. Quakes of that kind are common in Southern California and rarely lead to a much larger event, scientists say.
The epicenter was located east of the Elsinore fault, a system that is capable of producing quakes up to magnitude 7.5. The fault is about 190 miles long and extends from northern Baja California to the Santa Ana Mountains.
The USGS said the shaking was felt in several areas, including Borrego Springs, Julian, Pine Valley, Ramona, Escondido, Oceanside, Carlsbad, Jamul, San Diego, La Jolla and Descanso.