4.2 and 3.0 aftershocks hit earthquake-plagued Ridgecrest area

PASADENA — A 4.2-magnitude aftershock to the 7.1 earthquake of July 5 struck the Ridgecrest area Monday morning, followed by a smaller aftershock hours later, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The first quake hit at 1:38 a.m., at a depth of 0.6 mile, 31.7 miles north-northwest of Ridgecrest in Kern County, according to a computer report. The aftershock was also 5.6 miles east of Coso Junction and 8.7 miles north-northeast of Little Lake.

The epicenter of the 4.2-magnitude aftershock appears to be on the edge of the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, according to a USGS map.

It was followed by a 3.0-magnitude temblor, also at a depth of 0.6 mile and in the same area, at 5:25 a.m.

Here is a partial list of the recent aftershocks in the area that were recorded by the USGS:

• 2.9 at 12:14 a.m.
• 2.7 at 1:10 a.m.
• 4.2 at 1:38 a.m.
• 2.7 at 1:42 a.m.
• 2.9 at 3:18 a.m.
• 2.9 at 3:29 a.m.
• 2.6 at 3:39 a.m.
• 2.6 at 4:58 a.m.
• 3.0 at 5:25 a.m.
• 2.6 at 5:38 a.m.
• 2.7 at 6:29 a.m.
• 2.7 at 7:13 a.m.

Many more aftershocks have been logged on the USGS web site.