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Public Safety

3 Small Quakes Occur Under Ocean Off Southern California

A map shows the epicenter of an earthquake that hit Southern California, May 1, 2018.
U.S. Geological Survey
A map shows the epicenter of an earthquake that hit Southern California, May 1, 2018.

Several minor earthquakes well offshore have lightly shaken some Southern California coastal communities.

The quakes occurred before dawn Tuesday near the southern end of San Clemente Island, more than 60 miles off the mainland.

The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude-3.7 tremor occurred at 4:22 a.m. and was followed by a 3.5 and a 3.3 over the next 90 minutes. The USGS citizen reporting webpage shows they were felt lightly or weakly in the region, mostly in coastal cities.

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San Clemente Island is the southernmost of the Channel Islands and has U.S. Navy facilities.

KPBS has created a public safety coverage policy to guide decisions on what stories we prioritize, as well as whose narratives we need to include to tell complete stories that best serve our audiences. This policy was shaped through months of training with the Poynter Institute and feedback from the community. You can read the full policy here.