Los Angeles, Bakersfield areas had earthquakes recently. Is California having more tremors?

Californians are familiar with the shaking beneath their feet, the momentary rattling of cabinetry or knick-knacks on the shelves.

Just a week ago, the state experienced a 5.2-magnitude earthquake centered near Lamont, a city outside of Bakersfield. More than 277 aftershocks were recorded as of the following day, USA TODAY reported.

Six days later, a 4.4-magnitude quake centered near Los Angeles occurred.

And quakes continued after Monday’s Southern California tremor, as recorded by the Southern California Earthquake Data Center, all less than a magnitude 3 — below 2.5 are generally not felt.

These earthquakes have left some Californians concerned about the frequency. Here’s what to know.

Why are there so many earthquakes right now?

California isn’t experiencing more earthquakes than the normal number, said Mark Benthien, the director for public education and preparedness with the Statewide California Earthquake Center, in an email to the Desert Sun.

“As earthquakes of this (minor) size are essentially random, sometimes they randomly happen close in time or location to each other, and sometimes randomly far apart with longer gaps,” he said.

Larger earthquakes can produce larger aftershocks that can be farther away, but that is “likely not what’s happening this week.”

“If we now have a much larger earthquake, it may not be related to the few minor earthquakes we’ve had,” he said.

Yes, it may seem like there are more earthquakes than there used to be, but that’s because we’ve seen dramatic improvement in the quantity and quality of equipment that records seismic activity in the Earth, Benthien told USA TODAY last year. We “have the ability to record smaller and smaller earthquakes,” not just in California, but in distant locations where there aren’t any people, and even under the seafloor.

Apps alert phones when shaking is detected and social media also has contributed to the more frequent communication of earthquakes.

“People are feeling small earthquakes and posting about it,” he told USA TODAY. “So it seems like there’s a lot more earthquakes happening, but it’s because there’s a lot more earthquake information happening and happening more frequently.”

A temporary increase or decrease in the frequency of earthquakes is “part of the normal fluctuation of earthquake rates,” according to the United States Geological Survey.

“Neither an increase nor decrease worldwide is a positive indication that a large earthquake is imminent,” said USGS.

USA TODAY reporter Dinah Voyles Pulver contributed to this article.

Paris Barraza is a trending reporter covering California news at The Desert Sun. Reach her at pbarraza@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: California isn't having more earthquakes, but here's why it seems so