NILAND – (INT) – A renewed outbreak of earthquakes is rippling through the Imperial Valley.

The latest series appears to have an epicenter west-southwest of Niland beneath the Salton Sea. The strongest jolt Friday evening (9:40pm) registered M4.6. Eleven temblors in the first hour were strong enough to be felt.

Seismologists are trying to determine if the newest series is related to an earthquake swarm that began June 5th and has generated more than 1,000 temblors. That event had an epicenter onshore from the Salton Sea and about 7-miles north of Westmorland.

There is a 94% chance the epicenter is on the Westmorland Fault at depths ranging from 4-to-8 miles.

There has been no reported damage in either sequence.

Story Date: June 19, 2021