Earthquake rocks Baja, felt in San Diego

From U.S. Geological Survey

News is just rolling in of a large earthquake that occurred at 10:59 am today below the Gulf of California, roughly 330 miles southeast of Tijuana.

An initial 5.8 quake was felt, followed by another registering a 6.9 on the Richter Scale. The latter was felt rather strongly in Downtown San Diego, where City Hall was promptly evacuated and workers in high rises told of the building swaying and books falling from shelves, as reported by NBC 7/39. Everyone has since returned to work.

Nobody felt anything here at the Entertainer offices in Rancho Bernardo, so the extent of the shaking may have been limited to the South Bay and Downtown areas.

We have yet to hear any reports of damage in Baja or San Diego County. We’ll have more information as it comes in.

UPDATE @ 1:43 pm – The earthquake may have been a part of a swarm, according to officials, as another two temblors registering in the 5’s were felt following the major 6.9 quake.

Stories of shaking on the upper floors of San Diego office buildings have been substiantied as well. One commentor, Monica, posting on a story about the earthquake in the L.A. Times, said the following:

“I work in Downtown San Diego, on the 19th floor and we DEFINITELY felt it. The blinds and the doors in our office shook for about 20-25 seconds.”

But, again, there were plenty others around the county who didn’t seem to feel a thing.

Just use the latest episode in the Southern California Earthquake Waiting Game in order to prepare you and your family when the inevitable “big one” hits. Because even if it doesn’t hit San Diego County proper, we will be feeling reprecussions.