Southern California, already bracing for potentially catastrophic flooding from Tropical Storm Hilary, got struck by an earthquake Sunday.
The 5.1 magnitude earthquake happened in Ojai, about 60 miles east of the Los Angeles area, and was felt throughout Southern California. It happened as the area dealt with the effects of the extremely rare tropical storm, which officials worried will bring catastrophic flooding in California and Nevada.
Social media users immediately reacted with the hashtag #hurriquake to describe the bizarre confluence of events and members of the sports world quickly chimed in.
ESPN Los Angeles perfectly summarized the responses from shellshocked SoCal residents.
“Everyone: prepare for #HurricaneHilary
“Earthquake: hold my beer.
“Hope everyone is staying safe out there! #hurriquake.”
everyone: prepare for #HurricaneHilary
earthquake: hold my beer.
Hope everyone is staying safe out there! #hurriquake
— ESPN Los Angeles (@ESPNLosAngeles) August 20, 2023
NFL on Fox analyst Jay Glazer tweeted, “Damnnn, lost power in our house, bottom of driveway already flooded and now we just had an earthquake here in LA… so of course I’m tweeting bc I got nothing else to do. Stay safe out there gang.”
Damnnn, lost power in our house, bottom of driveway already flooded and now we just had an earthquake here in LA… so of course I’m tweeting bc I got nothing else to do. Stay safe out there gang
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) August 20, 2023
The hurriquake had already impacted pro sports in the area, with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels both moving their Sunday home games to Saturday to be played as part of doubleheaders.
However, the Los Angeles Chargers did not opt to move their 7:05 p.m. (ET) preseason game with the New Orleans Saints, even after the earthquake struck. It was felt at SoFi Stadium.
A moderate earthquake was detected near Los Angeles amid Hurricane Hilary’s landfall in Baja California. The Saints and Chargers are still preparing for their exhibition game: https://t.co/SXHlhtivox
— TheSaintsWire (@TheSaintsWire) August 20, 2023
Sports fans had plenty of sports-related memes to describe the event.
https://twitter.com/xcallumxo/status/1693383909277372670
Chargers vs Saints today, makes sense we have a #hurriquake
— Josh Crook (@JoshCro39760256) August 20, 2023
So the @chargers are really gonna play during the hurriquake?
— B ✨🐞 (@brodz1178) August 20, 2023
This Palm tree just went up in flames after my Dodger fan neighbor tried to fire thirty Romans into the eye of Hurricane Hilary.
He missed badly as the earthquake hit.
Now it's a #Hurriquake pic.twitter.com/A99oov2HT3
— FAX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFAX) August 20, 2023
No one goes to Chargers games anyway. Who is the world loads the kids into the car during a hurriquake in LA and says "let's go see some Easton Stick!"
— Aaron Goldhammer (@HammerNation19) August 20, 2023
