A magnitude 4.4 earthquake hit Los Angeles County on Monday morning, causing buildings to shake and residents to feel uneasy throughout Southern California, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred at approximately 12:20 p.m., with its epicenter in Highland Park, located about six miles deep. It was initially registered as a 4.7 magnitude but was quickly adjusted downwards. Tremors were felt as far away as San Diego County, Simi Valley, Victorville, and Redlands.
Though there were no significant injuries or major damage reported, residents shared videos capturing the intense shaking, which startled many and frightened pets. “It was very, very scary,” shared Highland Park resident Kyle Shearer, calling it the scariest quake he has experienced in a long time.
Christine Chandler, a professor at Martha Fuerst School of Nursing in Glendale, described the quake as a sudden jolt that escalated into violent shaking, stating, “It wasn’t those nice roll-y ones we get. I had to hold on to the door jamb.”
In response to the quake, emergency services in Los Angeles County and the city activated earthquake mode to assess potential damage, particularly to critical infrastructures. The Los Angeles city fire department concluded their assessments by 1:15 p.m. with no significant damage found, apart from some minor reports from Pasadena, which is close to the epicenter.
At Pasadena City Hall, a broken pipe resulted in water gushing onto the sidewalk, prompting the evacuation of about 200 employees. Pasadena Fire Department Deputy Chief Anthony James noted that the leak was caused by a sprinkler head breaking, and firefighters managed to shut off the water supply. Additionally, one individual was temporarily stuck in an elevator but was rescued without issue.
While firefighters checked a report of a broken gas line, it remained unverified whether it was linked to the earthquake. According to James, he felt the tremor while parked and likened it to the ground seeming to shift beneath him.
Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones remarked that the shaking might have felt more intense than the magnitude indicated due to the dense population over the quake’s center. “There’s a lot of people on top of this earthquake,” she explained, suggesting that the depth and location amplified the perception of its severity.
Although the specific fault line involved in the quake is still uncertain, Dr. Jones noted the area has a network of buried faults similar to those responsible for the 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake, making it challenging to trace the precise geological cause.