QUAKE ON ARIZONA/NM BORDER STRONGER THAN USUAL

 

WHILE THE SOUTHWEST EXPERIENCES EARTHQUAKES, THEY GENERALLY ARE PRETTY MILD. THAT WAS NOT THE CASE, HOWEVER, WITH ONE THAT STRUCK ALONG THE ARIZONA BORDER ON JUNE 28TH … PRODUCING A 3-POINT-6 MAGNITUDE AFTERSHOCK ON WEDNESDAY THAT WAS ONLY 26 MILES FROM LORDSBURG.

SUSAN BILEK WITH NEW MEXICO TECH TELLS US THE 5-POINT-2 MAGNITUDE QUAKE THAT RATTLED THE AREA IN LATE JUNE IS PRETTY RARE. SHE SAYS THE AREA HASN'T SEEN AN EARTHQUAKE LARGER THAN 3-POINT-9 IN THE LAST 40 YEARS, SO THE 5-POINT-2 IS CONSIDERED LARGE FOR THE SOUTHWEST. HOWEVER, BILEK ALSO SAYS IT'S NOT CONSIDERED UNUSUAL.

BILEK SAYS THE JUNE 28TH EARTHQUAKE COULD TRIGGER AFTERSHOCKS IN THE AREA FOR ANOTHER MONTH.