Thousands Of Aftershocks, And Most California Residents Without Earthquake Insurance

The Mojave Desert shuddered and rumbled for a fourth day Sunday, but experts tried to ease fears that another massive aftershock or quake would soon slam the battered communities in south-central California.

California Institute of Technology seismologist Lucy Jones said thousands of magnitude 1 or more aftershocks have been detected in the Searles Valley "sequence" highlighted by Friday’s magnitude 7.1 and Thursday’s 6.4 — technically a mighty "foreshock."

Jones said there was little chance that Searles Valley would be rocked by something that strong in coming days.

"The potential for increased weather disasters coming with climate change make the earthquake problem look small," Jones said on Twitter.

The area, 150 miles northeast of Los Angeles, was in recovery mode after the quakes crumbled buildings, ignited fires and cut power to thousands of homes and businesses.