Earthquake rattles Newport-Mesa area

A 3.0 earthquake centered in Newport Beach rattled windows and shook roofs Wednesday night, the first earthquake of that size in the area in at least a year, according to state data.

The earthquake reverberated through Newport and Costa Mesa at about 9:28 p.m. Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The epicenter was about seven miles below the earth’s surface, centered in a residential neighborhood off of Westcliff Drive and Rutland Road in Newport Beach. Southern California experiences hundreds of earthquakes a year, most so slight you cannot feel them, officials said.

A 3.0 magnitude earthquake is generally the lowest threshold people can feel, Caltech Seismic Analyst Nick Scheckel said.

“People closest will probably feel a jolt or a bump. The further away you go, people get to feel it as sort of a sway,” he said.

The city did not receive any reports of damage, just residents calling emergency services to report what they experienced.

“A lady called reporting she heard a boom,” said Edward Gallegos, a dispatch supervisor for the Newport Beach Fire Department. “She thought something landed on her roof.”

“I actually thought it was an earthquake, but it was so short, it was kind of odd,” said Newport Beach resident Dan Rigmaiden, who lives near the Back Bay. “It was really quick. We were wondering if there was an explosion or something nearby.”

“It’s an active area. Recently we haven’t seen a lot of earthquakes but that can change any moment,” Scheckel said. “We always expect aftershocks. Just a handful.”

The earthquake shook the earth in a horizontal motion and did not break the surface, Scheckel said. Experts don’t assign such small tremblers to fault zones in the area, but the earthquake was similar to ones triggered by the Newport-Inglewood-Rose Canyon fault zone, Scheckel said. The Newport-Inglewood-Rose Canyon fault zone is an off-shore zone stemming from the Newport-Inglewood fault zone that parallels the coast and caused the 1933 Long Beach quake that killed 120 people.

The U.S. Geological Survey received more than 1,350 reports from as far away as North Hollywood about the earthquake by Thursday. Newport Beach city employees are annually prepared to handle any disaster situation, said fire department spokeswoman Jennifer Schulz.

 EARTHQUAKE TIPS

Before an earthquake:

  Know the safe spots in each room: against inside walls, under tables and desks, or supported doorways.

  Practice drills, have an evacuation plan for the family.

  Pack a disaster supply kit including flashlights, food, clothing and bedding

Prepare your home:

 Learn how to shut off utilities like gas, water, electricity.

 Secure appliances that could move enough to rupture lines.

 Keep hazardous and flammable liquids outside

During the earthquake:

 If indoors, stay there. If outdoors, go to an open area.

 Stay away from windows and outside walls.

 Duck and cover.

After the earthquake:

 Check for injuries and apply first aid.

 Check for gas and water leaks, broken electrical wiring or sewage lines.

 Be prepared for aftershocks.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.