On September 18, right as the clock hit 11:38 pm on a Friday night, a 4.6 magnitude earthquake shook Southern California.

It is reported that the epicenter was approximately two miles southwest from El Monte and the aftershocks would be expected to follow.

At first, the earthquake was estimated to be larger than the 4.6 magnitude it was later confirmed to be as the shaking felt way more violent than 2019’s California summer earthquakes. Those felt more like a rolling motion in the ground and more slow; it even had multiple aftershocks weeks or even months after.

This earthquake had violent shaking, at least for the people close to the epicenter. But even people who weren’t close to the epicenter still felt the quake.

Soon after, tweets went out by LA County Fire Department, LA County, and the LAPD official accounts. The LAPD department tweeted a warning with information on what to do next for potential aftershocks. The tweet reads, “DROP, COVER, HOLD ON! Protect your head + neck while taking cover…away from windows and doorways until shaking stops.”

The LA County advised people to have an emergency kit ready in their tweets and warned everybody to be prepared. In addition to this they also tweeted a small animated video which is about protecting loved ones during situations like these.

“I would probably look towards them (my family) as an instinct. To make sure my family is safe, we would probably stay together.” Jordan Alvarado, a junior student at Mt. SAC ECA said when asked about what he would do during an earthquake regarding his family.

To not be caught by surprise by these nerve-wracking events, there are apps that can warn you about upcoming quakes. For example there is, Earthquake Network, Shake Alert LA, Quake Feed, and many more. All these help in one way, either to help warn you and give you a heads up or inform you more about earthquakes. Many people might not know about these apps, but they are actually very easy to use.

“My family and I do not use any earthquake alert apps, I didn’t even know earthquake alert apps existed!” Alvarado commented on this helpful tool. ‘I would use them, they can be very beneficial.”

Online tools like these are important and more than ever now, since most can’t practice these in person. In fact, because of distance learning, schools were not able to participate in the Great Shake Out to practice the necessary precautions when an earthquake strikes.

Thankfully, no great damage was done and all is well.