An earthquake rumbled through the San Diego region on Monday morning — the second significant quake in two days — but there were no immediate reports of any damage or injuries.
The quake, which rattled the region at 10:08 a.m., was initially listed by the U.S. Geological Survey as a magnitude 6.0. However, it was quickly downgraded to a magnitude 5.2, with the epicenter about two miles south of Julian.
It was quickly followed by a cluster of several smaller aftershocks ranging from about magnitude 2 to 3.5 in the same area, including one centered near Borrego Springs.
Representatives of Cal Fire and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office said the agencies had gotten no word of injuries or property damage caused by the quake.
At the San Diego Zoo’s Safari Park’s African elephant exhibit, the older elephants — which have the ability to feel sound through their feet — were caught on video forming a protective circle around the younger elephants to protect them from the quake.
“The herd, consisting of Ndlula, Umngani, Khosi, and youngsters Zuli and Mkhaya, went back to normal after about 4 minutes, though they did stay close to one another,” said a statement from the Safari Park.
Caltrans reported that boulders had tumbled off of a roadside embankment onto a stretch of SR-76 near East Grade Rd., just west of Lake Henshaw in Santa Ysabel.
San Diego’s City Hall closed for the day for inspections. Monday’s City Council meeting was moved to the Civic Theater.
Metrolink temporarily canceled service on Orange County Line train 608 between San Clemente and Oceanside so that crews could look for damage. The tracks between Oceanside and San Clemente were reopened as of around 1:10 p.m., according to a spokesperson.
Seismologist and Southern California earthquake expert Dr. Lucy Jones said the quake appeared to have been felt “over a very large area,” stretching into Los Angeles. She said given the size and depth of the quake, it was unlikely to cause any serious damage “to a normal California building,” although it may have knocked some items off shelves.
“There shouldn’t be structural damage,” she said. “If there is, it’s in a pretty bad building.”
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department also said they had received no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
“I thought the single-pane windows were going to crack because they were shaking pretty good, but they didn’t,” said Paul Nelson, owner of a former gold mine that operated in the 1870s in Julian.
He said some picture frames on the counter at the gift shop fell over at the Eagle Mining Co., but the tunnels that tourists can explore suffered no damage. On Sunday, Nelson said a smaller quake hit when about two dozen visitors were touring the defunct mine but everyone stayed calm.
No one was inside the old mine when Monday’s temblor rocked the ground for a longer time.
Schoolchildren were escorted outside of buildings as a precaution when the ground started moving, said Capt. Thomas Shoots of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for San Diego County. He got a shake alert and then started feeling things rolling and banging.
“There was a lot of shaking and rattling around,” he said. “But thankfully everything seems to be back to normal.”
Riley Ozuna, owner of the Julian Cafe & Bakery, said some cups fell onto the ground at her business. “But everything is OK,” she said.
Monday morning’s quake also follows a smaller but still significant temblor (measuring 3.3) in the Julian area on Sunday afternoon.
City News Service and Associated Press contributed to this report. This story was updated with further information on Tuesday., April 15, 2025 at 7:49 a.m.
