Be ready for more earthquakes
More earthquakes than usual (called aftershocks) will continue to occur near the mainshock.

When there are more earthquakes, the chance of a large earthquake is greater which means that the chance of damage is greater.

The USGS advises everyone to be aware of the possibility of aftershocks, especially when in or around vulnerable structures such as unreinforced masonry buildings.

This forecast is based purely on experience with past sequence in geothermal areas of California, including this area of Ridgecrest.

The USGS estimates the chance of more aftershocks within the next week.

*The chance of an earthquake of magnitude 3 or higher is > 99 %, and it is most likely that as few as 250 or as many as 3,600 such earthquakes may occur in the case that the sequence is re-invigorated by a larger aftershock.

*The chance of an earthquake of magnitude 5 or higher is > 99 %, and it is most likely that as few as 2 or as many as 37 such earthquakes may occur.

*The chance of an earthquake of magnitude 6 or higher is 61 %, and it is most likely that as few as 0 or as many as 5 such earthquakes may occur.

*The chance of an earthquake of magnitude 7 or higher is 11 %, and it is most likely that as few as 0 or as many as 2 such earthquakes may occur.