Magnitude 4.7 Earthquake Hits Malibu, Rattles Southern California

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake struck just north of Malibu, California, on Thursday morning, causing noticeable shaking across the Southern California region. The earthquake occurred at 7:28 a.m. and was followed by a magnitude 2.8 aftershock two minutes later. According to seismologist Lucy Jones, a Caltech research associate, the epicenter of the quake was closest to the Malibu fault, with a 40% chance of being associated with it.

The earthquake resulted in “light” shaking in areas such as Malibu, Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, and Calabasas, as defined by the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale. This type of shaking can disturb dishes, windows, and doors, and can make cracking sounds in walls. In Thousand Oaks, the shaking lasted only a few seconds. “Weak” shaking was felt across a broader area, including downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Long Beach, and parts of Orange County and the Inland Empire.

Residents in Redondo Beach and Long Beach reported shaking that lasted around 10 seconds, with one resident in Redondo Beach describing the shaking as starting small and then intensifying. However, no objects fell from shelves. Near the Los Angeles International Airport, an apartment building in El Segundo experienced shaking, with curtains swaying.

This year has seen an unusually high frequency of earthquakes in the Los Angeles area, with Thursday’s quake being the 14th earthquake of magnitude 4 or higher in Southern California so far. Despite this increased activity, experts caution that it does not necessarily predict a larger, destructive earthquake in the near future. The state’s earthquake early warning system alerted some residents, including those in Koreatown who received about two seconds of warning before the shaking arrived.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced that the city’s fire department activated its routine survey to assess for any damage, but as of now, there are no initial reports of damage. Ventura County also reported no damage or impacts to infrastructure).