Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones Sheds Light On What Magnitude 6 Quake Means For California's Future

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Dr. Lucy Jones, a widely trusted public authority on earthquakes, shed light on Thursday's magnitude 6 earthquake and what it means for future rumbles in California.

Thursday's saving grace with such a strong quake was the sparse area that it was in.

Dr. Jones worked with the U.S. Geological survey for more than three decades researching foreshocks. We asked her about the impact of the quake and any that could follow.

"I mean there was quite strong shaking right on top of it, but there was nothing to fall down there," Dr. Jones said of the area of the quake. "So that kept it from being that damaging."

Dr. Jones said the future is unclear but the dwindling activity following the quake and initial aftershocks is a sign of at least one good thing.

"We don't know if it's a foreshock," she said. "The fact that we've already gone six hours since the event without anything else happening, half of the risk is already gone."

Dr. Jones says a 6.0 quake is usually felt more than 100 miles away, so it is not surprising it was felt in areas around the Sacramento region.

Thursday's quake again raised concerns that the big one is just around the corner.

There's been a lot of talk about how we're long overdue for a massive earthquake. Every year has about the same chance of seeing the "big one" - a 1-2% chance. And the fact that it's been 150 years since the last big earthquake doesn't make it more likely.

"I said it averages every 100 to 150 years and for the area around Palm Springs, it's been 350 years," Dr. Jones said.

But Dr. Jones said Thursday's quake was too far away from the San Andreas Fault to cause any big concerns about the next big earthquake.

"We won't know until it happens," she said. "That's the frustrating part about being a seismologist."