BARSTOW — A 4.6 magnitude earthquake struck near the city at 7:03 p.m. Friday evening.

The epicenter was about 14 miles northeast of Barstow, in a remote area off Williams Well Road, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. The tremor had a depth of about 2 miles.

A second earthquake near the first hit at 7:09 p.m. with a magnitude of 2.9, according to USGS. Its depth was reported at nearly 1 ½ miles.

The 2.9 magnitude earthquake was the most powerful of four earthquakes that occurred in a span of 23 minutes after the first tremor struck.

California Institute of Technology seismologist Lucy Jones tweeted that the first quake was "scientifically interesting" and occurred on an "unmapped thrust fault."

She said the epicenter was between the faults of the 2019 Ridgecrest earthquakes and magnitude 7.3 Landers earthquake in 1992.

California Highway Patrol dispatch alerted officers in the area to check all bridges and overcrossings for damage after Friday's earthquakes, per scanner traffic.

San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Cindy Bachman told the Daily Press there were no reports of damage or injury.

Many High Desert residents took to social media to discuss the quake, and “Barstow” was trending on Twitter by 8 p.m.

April Warren, 49, of Helendale, told the Daily Press that she, her boyfriend and her dog were on their back patio when the balcony of their two-story home started rattling.
 
“We looked at each other. I said, 'earthquake?' And then we felt a decent jolt,” Warren said. “Our dog is still currently under the table."
 
Warren said earthquakes are “always a little unnerving,” but added that Friday’s “was too quick and mild for any damage.”
 
“I'm just wondering if it's a precursor to something bigger,” she said.
 
Jesse Viveros, 32, of Victorville had the same worry.
 
“I live off Green Tree (Boulevard) across from the Post Office, and my house shook violently for maybe two seconds. My fear is it's a foreshock like last year's quakes (in Ridgecrest).”
 
In a second tweet, Jones said she’s spent years looking at “foreshocks” in an attempt to find something that made them different.

“Never found it,” Jones continued in the tweet. “We will know if it's one of the 5% that become a foreshock if something bigger happens.”

Other local residents, like Raymond Ruiz, 45, of Victorville, found room for humor after the incident.

“I'm sitting here having a nice glass of bourbon, and felt the shake,” Ruiz said. “Looked at my glass like, man, this (is) some good stuff.”

When asked if the quake was pretty strongly felt at his house, Ruiz told the Daily Press: “It wasn't as strong as my bourbon.”

Martin Estacio may be reached at MEstacio@VVDailyPress.com or at 760-955-5358. Follow him on Twitter @DP_mestacio.