Residents in both Northern and Southern California are on edge after a pair of quakes struck the region just a few days after the massive quake that left dozens dead in Mexico City. But the USGS says they don't want people to get nervous about those events.
Geophysicist Morgan Page says the earth shaking in California is just a part of life on the west coast.
"Earthquakes happen all the time in regions that are seismically active like in California. And it's easy to see coincidences where there are none."
A 5.7 shaker hit near Humboldt County last Friday just days after the quake in Mexico, while Westwood felt a 3.6 magnitude jolt late Tuesday night. Page says the two areas are too far from Mexico City to be connected.
"In general, aftershocks are most likely to be felt very close to where the main shock is, and maybe a few rupture links away, and then you'll get very small events triggered in geothermal regions. But, the events [we're] talking about, aren't likely related to these quakes."
The USGS says residents in California should be prepared for the big one by storing food, water, and provisions for at least three days. People can review what they should have in their emergency kit at BePreparedCalifornia.CA.gov.