On Friday night into Saturday, Lennox and Westmont residents experienced a disturbing series of small earthquakes. These tremors were recorded by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and have raised concerns in the area.

The USGS logged 90 micro-quakes in these unincorporated communities. The earthquakes’ magnitudes ranged from 1.0 to 2.7, occurring from 8:05 p.m. Friday until 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

This cluster of seismic activities centered around the Newport-Inglewood Fault Zone. The fault stretches between Culver City and Newport Beach and is of particular interest. A 2017 study indicated that this fault might pose greater risks than previously understood. Evidence suggested past seismic events here reached up to a 7.5 magnitude, notably affecting Seal Beach by causing a portion of the coastline to sink several feet.

Recently, a magnitude 3.2 quake also occurred along this fault zone, near Compton, increasing attention to the area. Many residents in nearby regions, including Crenshaw, Huntington Park, Bell, West Adams, Mid-City, and Gardena, reported feeling the quakes.

The USGS is responsible for monitoring such seismic activities but was unavailable for immediate comments. However, their posted information clarifies that micro-quakes do not indicate larger impending earthquakes.

Furthermore, the USGS notes that significant rainfall does not typically influence seismic activity. Yet, they acknowledged that weather patterns, like heavy rain or drought, might indirectly affect fault zones. This claim is backed by research indicating micro-quakes may undergo minimal variations associated with rain patterns.