3.7 Quake Produces Brief but Heavy Jolt

A magnitude-3.7 earthquake jolted much of the Southland on Sunday morning, briefly knocking out power and water service in some areas, but causing no major damage or injuries.

The quake struck at 8:27 a.m., and was centered in southeast Los Angeles County, about four miles north of Compton. It lasted less than one second, but triggered seismic waves felt from San Clemente to Ventura, according to Caltech seismologists.

People near the epicenter said they felt a sudden rolling sensation that was brief but packed a wallop. The quake was strong enough to knock out the lights for a few seconds at Lynwood’s St. Francis Medical Center.

“It was like a whiplash movement, but side to side, instead of front to back,” emergency room receptionist Asha Chabria said. “It was a quick jolt, but it was a heavy one. You knew it was an earthquake.”

Hospital officials said the facility’s emergency generators immediately restored power. There were no other reports of outages in the area, according to police.

In Compton, water service was quickly restored to a few residents who reported lost service after the quake, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Tony Ward.

Aside from two small sinkholes at two residences, there were no other reports of damage, Ward said.

At Watts Towers a few miles from the epicenter, tour guides and workers reported no visible damage to the historic structures.

Oscar Madrigal, an art instructor who lives across the street, said he felt a jolting sensation then looked up.

“The towers didn’t sway,” he said. “And we didn’t hear anything fall. We’re still standing.”

More than 30 aftershocks were reported, capped by a magnitude-3.0 tremor two minutes after the initial quake. Caltech seismologist Egill Hauksson said it was unusual for such a small quake to generate so many aftershocks.

The epicenter was near the Newport-Inglewood Fault, which in 1933 triggered a magnitude-6.2 earthquake in Long Beach, he said.

“The important thing to realize here is that it [Sunday’s quake] was a tiny earthquake compared to what it could be,” Hauksson said.

Sunday’s temblor was the latest in a series of minor earthquakes in the area. Last week, a magnitude-2.9 quake hit Beverly Hills. A 2.9-magnitude earthquake centered in Silver Lake jolted residents Oct. 8.