New Reports Upgrade Quake to 7.1
Caltech and the U.S. Geological Survey on Monday upgraded the magnitude of the Hector Mine earthquake from 7.0 to 7.1, based on more extensive reporting from seismological stations around the world.
The upgrading means that the earthquake was almost twice as powerful as originally thought and equals the 1940 Imperial Valley earthquake as the third-strongest quake in Southern California in the 20th century.
Changes in magnitude are frequently made as the recordings of distant stations are received. The preliminary magnitude was set primarily from the readings of nearby stations.
There were half a dozen aftershocks Monday, with the strongest a magnitude 4.4 at 4:02 a.m. northeast of the epicenter, near Interstate 40. There were also aftershocks of 4.0 and 4.1 Monday night.
Scientists have said the aftershocks may continue for 10 years, but will gradually diminish in frequency.
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