California rocked by another earthquake that will unleash the Big One
Southern California has experienced two consecutive days of earthquakes along the Garlock Fault near its junction with the San Andreas Fault. Geophysicists warn that these seismic events could indicate building stress, potentially increasing the risk of a major earthquake known as 'The Big One.'
Why it matters
The intersection of these two major fault lines is a critical area of concern for seismic safety and disaster preparedness in the Western United States.
By CHRIS MELORE, US DEPUTY SCIENCE EDITOR
Published: 12:35 EDT, 13 July 2026 | Updated: 16:03 EDT, 13 July 2026
A second significant earthquake has struck Southern California in two days, along a dangerous fault line that one expert claims has now been 'unlocked' and could soon unleash 'The Big One.'
A magnitude 4.3 quake struck less than 90 miles from Los Angeles at 12.40pm ET (9.40am local) on Monday, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
It struck less than 24 hours after a magnitude 4.1 tremor erupted along the same fault line that a California geophysicist says is long overdue for a massive and devastating quake - the Garlock Fault.
While both quakes were relatively small and did not lead to any reported injuries, geophysicist Stefan Burns warned that Sunday's seismic event occurred at a rare junction linking the Garlock to the infamous San Andreas Fault.
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