Back-to-back earthquakes Saturday evening centered near Castaic were felt across wide areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, but no damage had been reported, according to fire officials.

A shallow magnitude 4.2 earthquake was reported eight miles from Castaic, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 7:18 p.m. Pacific time at a depth of 5.0 miles. It was originally given as a 4.5 quake but was later downgraded to 4.2.

About 20 minutes earlier, a magnitude 3.0 quake occurred in almost the same spot.

According to the USGS, the epicenter for both was about 16 miles from Santa Clarita.


Victoria Contreras, 49, a clerk at Gallion’s Market in Castaic, said the second earthquake shook the shelves stocked with liquor and soda.

“All my bottles started rattling, then one great big boom,” said Contreras, adding that the shocks continued for about 45 seconds. “I almost fell off the stool.”

Still, she said, the store didn’t lose any merchandise.

The one-two punch sent shockwaves of weak to moderate intensity across the Los Angeles metropolitan area and parts of Ventura County east of Oxnard, according to the USGS.


No damage was reported, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department, which added that it is not in earthquake mode.

In the past 10 days, there have been three earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.

Read more about Southern California earthquakes.