LOS ANGELES — Residents of Southern California were awakened Thursday by a 4.7 magnitude earthquake that struck the Los Angeles area, shaking homes and causing boulders to tumble onto a road in Malibu. Fortunately, no injuries or significant damages were immediately reported.
The earthquake occurred against the backdrop of several major wildfires burning east of Los Angeles, which have already destroyed dozens of homes and led to mass evacuations during a recent intense heat wave. Lucy Jones, a seismologist at the California Institute of Technology, referred to the quake as a “garden-variety Southern California earthquake.”
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake’s epicenter was located 4 miles north of Malibu, at a depth of 7 miles. The tremor was felt across an area extending up to 45 miles, including Orange County, where residents reported movement of objects in their homes.
Authorities are currently assessing the region for damage, but so far have not identified any major issues. Malibu Councilmember Bruce Silverstein, who experienced the quake, described it as the hardest he has felt in his 13 years in the community, but noted that nothing in his home broke.
The historic Santa Monica Pier, approximately 12 miles from the epicenter, also experienced noticeable shaking, as captured by a live camera feed during morning television broadcasts. Meanwhile, crews were working to remove large boulders that had rolled onto Malibu Canyon Road near the quake’s epicenter.
Seismologist Jones mentioned that while the earthquake was closest to the Malibu fault, it was also in proximity to the Anacapa fault. Quakes below a magnitude of 5.0 are generally not linked to the larger, mapped faults in the area.
Local business manager Rene Vasquez said the shaking lasted a few seconds, prompting some staff to step outside for safety. “It wasn’t that bad,” he commented.
At a nearby Starbucks, surfer Albert Daniel expressed concern for the glass ceiling above but ultimately felt the experience was mild, saying, “It’s actually pretty calm.”
Visitor Trudy Novicki, poised to meditate on her hotel balcony, was taken aback by the sudden shake and thought a truck had collided with the hotel.
Following the event, several high-profile individuals took to social media to share their experiences, with Paris Hilton describing the earthquake as “scary” and Khloe Kardashian noting that it felt substantial.
Residents reported receiving alerts from the state’s earthquake early warning system. This earthquake marks the 14th occurrence of a magnitude 4.0 or higher in Southern California this year, surpassing the average of eight to ten such events per year over the past few decades. Experts caution that while this uptick in seismic activity is notable, it does not necessarily foreshadow a larger earthquake.
According to geophysicist Morgan Page of the U.S. Geological Survey, there is a 1 in 20 chance that another earthquake of magnitude 4.7 or higher may occur in the coming days.