The Julian Earthquake Shakes Southern California.

Breaking news: The Julian Earthquake Shakes Southern California!

A big earthquake just hit near Julian, California, yesterday morning. The ground shook at 10 a.m. on Monday. People felt it all across Southern California. The quake was strong, measuring 5.2 on the scale scientists use. That's big enough to notice but not big enough to cause significant damage.

Julian is a small town in the mountains. The center of the earthquake was just 3 miles south of town. People in Julian felt very strong shaking. The earth moved under their feet for about 10 seconds. One fire captain called it "the craziest earthquake I have ever been in."

The shaking didn't just stay in Julian. People felt it far away in Oxnard and Palm Springs. Even people across the border in Tijuana, Mexico, felt the ground move. That's how powerful this earthquake was!

After the main earthquake, smaller ones followed. Scientists call these "aftershocks." Four smaller earthquakes happened within 90 minutes. These measured between 3.0 and 3.9 - still strong enough to feel but not as scary as the main one.

A geology expert from San Diego State University says this was likely the "mainshock." That means it was probably the biggest earthquake in this series. There's a small chance (about 21%) that another earthquake of size 4 or more might happen in the next week.

The earthquake came from deep underground - about 8.3 miles below the surface. It happened near something called the "Elsinore fault zone." This is a crack in the earth that runs for 190 miles. It goes from the Mexico border through San Diego County and up to the Santa Ana mountains near Los Angeles. This fault could someday create an earthquake as big as 7.5, which would be much more dangerous.

Even though this earthquake was strong, it didn't cause huge damage. No buildings collapsed. Nobody was hurt. However, it did cause some problems across the region.

Rocks fell onto roads in several places. Big boulders blocked State Route 76 near Lake Henshaw. Rocks also fell onto La Cresta Road near El Cajon. Another slide happened near Palomar Mountain State Park. Road crews had to clean these up.

In downtown San Diego, workers had to leave their buildings. The 13-story City Hall building was closed for the whole day. Safety experts needed to check if the building was safe. A big city meeting about trash pickup fees had to move to the San Diego Civic Theatre.

The county government building was also emptied for a short time. By 11:30 a.m., people could go back inside. Even the tall federal courthouse felt the shaking on its 14th floor.

The San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park closed briefly. The staff checked to make sure nothing was damaged. Then they reopened.

Across the border in Tijuana, their city hall was closed for the rest of the day. Workers found some damage in the underground parking lot. They needed time to check if everything was safe. They planned to reopen on Tuesday.

In Julian, the earthquake caused some small damage. At the Blue Door Winery, glasses fell and broke. The owner, Marc Hashagen, was relieved that no windows broke. "No broken window, that's good," he said while picking up glass pieces.

At the Barn Vintage Marketplace in nearby Santa Ysabel, things flew off shelves. The owner, Brandi Smothers, was at home when her pottery "came flying off shelves." At her shop, antique mirrors fell and broke. The second floor was hit harder. "Anything that could fall is on the ground," she said. Still, she felt lucky. "I'm thinking we probably got away OK."

At the famous Julian Pie Shop, office manager Robin Young talked to a customer when the shaking started. "It was pretty powerful. It was intense," she said. But the earthquake was so quick that "it didn't last long enough to get a chance to react. Everyone froze."

Even hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail felt the earth move. One hiker near Warner Springs wrote online that he "felt two separate shakes that each lasted about a second." He described seeing "the trail and all the vegetation around me shake violently."

Something amazing happened at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Cameras caught a herd of African elephants reacting to the earthquake. First, they ran as the ground shook. Then they did something special - they formed a tight circle around a baby elephant. They stayed in this protective formation for about four minutes. Zoo experts call this an "alert circle." The elephants do this to protect their young when they sense danger.

Trains had to change their schedules because of the earthquake. The North County Transit District ran fewer Sprinter trains. Coaster trains had to go slower for safety. They also used buses to carry people between Solana Beach and Sorrento Valley.

Some people got warnings about the earthquake before they felt it. Those who use an app called ShakeAlert got notices on their phones and watches. The warning came just a second or two before the shaking started. This early warning system helps people get ready, even if just for a moment.

County officials are using this earthquake as a reminder. They want people to be ready for future earthquakes. They suggest everyone have an emergency kit with

Water

Food that doesn't need refrigeration

First-aid supplies

Emergency cash

Important documents

Blankets or sleeping bags

Flashlights with batteries

Medication

A radio

Masks

They also want people to sign up for emergency alerts on their phones. If you experienced any damage from the earthquake, you can call 211 to report it.

The San Diego region sits on active fault lines. Earthquakes can happen at any time, though big ones are rare. This 5.2 earthquake was strong enough to be noticed but not strong enough to cause widespread problems. It serves as a good reminder that Mother Nature is powerful and unpredictable.

Scientists will keep studying this earthquake. They want to learn more about the Elsinore fault zone. Each earthquake gives them new information that could help predict future events.

For now, life in Southern California is getting back to normal. Buildings that closed are reopening. Roads that were blocked are clear again. People are sharing their earthquake stories with friends and family.

If you felt this earthquake, you're not alone! Thousands of people across Southern California experienced the same thing. It's a reminder that we all share this moving, shaking planet together.