3 Quakes Jolt Buildings in San Diego

Three earthquakes rattled the San Diego area on Monday, shaking downtown office buildings and homes in Coronado. The quakes, centered in San Diego Bay, measured 3.9, 4.0 and 4.0 on the Richter scale.

No injuries or damages were reported, although San Diego area police officials reported fielding hundreds of calls from alarmed residents.

A spokesman at California Institute of Technology in Pasadena said the quakes felt by area residents were part of a series of temblors that hit the San Diego area.

“There may be more; there may not be,” said Caltech spokesman Dennis Meredith.

A spokeswoman for Pacific Bell said telephone service was briefly interrupted in some parts of San Diego.

“We’ve been having some trouble, which is normal with earthquakes,” Jan Henley, of the company’s North Hollywood offices, said. “Our equipment can’t take the jarring.”

In addition, customers noticed a slow dial tone in parts of the South Bay, as people called friends to talk about the quake.

The temblors were felt on a line running from Imperial Beach to Escondido but were not felt in coastal cities in North County.

The 3.9 first quake was at 5:12 p.m., the 4.0 second quake was at 8:22 p.m. and the 4.0 third quake was at 9:28 p.m. All three quakes were centered under San Diego Bay about four miles southwest of downtown San Diego.

The first quake came as the San Diego City Council was in session and briefly interrupted the meeting at City Hall.

“Good grief!” exclaimed Mayor Roger Hedgecock. Then, amid some nervous chuckles from his colleagues, the mayor added, “Is Dobson’s still standing? That’s my major concern.” Dobson’s is a downtown bar and grill.

On Sunday, a 4.2-strength quake shook San Diego at 3:27 a.m. It was centered 50 miles west of the city in the Pacific Ocean.