A maximum Mercalli intensity of VII (Very Strong) was observed in Joshua Tree and caused light to moderate damage.

[9] The proximity of the epicenter to the Coachella Valley segment, a particularly dangerous part of the San Andreas fault, immediately raised concerns that it could be a precursor to a larger earthquake.

This prompted the California Department of Emergency Services to issue a warning of possible future activity in the local counties shortly after the earthquake.

[5] Although this earthquake did not have surface faulting that was observed, the rupture propagated northward 12 miles (19 km) to the town of Joshua Tree, where it caused damage.

At the Hyatt Regency Suites in Palm Springs, chief security officer Jerry Iovine reported that guests on the top floor had been temporarily evacuated while construction experts examined the structure of the six-story hotel.

The aftershock sequence of the Joshua Tree quake also showed a clear relative calm during the period before the Landers rupture.