Several magnitude 3-plus earthquakes strike near Palm Springs

Three earthquakes, two of them magnitude 3.5 and the other a 3.2, struck near Palm Springs Tuesday evening, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The first earthquake, of magnitude 3.5, was reported at 5:30 p.m., and occurred eight miles from Palm Springs, 13 miles from Palm Desert, 14 miles from La Quinta, 15 miles from Rancho Mirage and 17 miles from Cathedral City.

It was followed by a magnitude 3.2 earthquake at 5:35 p.m., and the second 3.5 quake registered at 6 p.m.

In the past 10 days, there have been 11 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby. A 4.9 earthquake hit about 23 miles from Palm Springs on Friday.

An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three year data sample.

The first earthquake occurred at a depth of 6.0 miles, the second at a depth of 6.3 miles, and the third at 6.2 miles.

Did you feel these earthquakes? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.

Even if you didn’t feel these small earthquakes, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.

This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS.

This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.