Massive Earthquake Rattles Los Angeles: Everything We Know

A 4.7-magnitude earthquake shook parts of Southern California early Thursday morning.
The 7:28 a.m. quake was centered in the Malibu area. Shaking from the earthquake was reported in Malibu, Hermosa Beach, La Mirada, Anaheim, the Hollywood Hills and parts of the San Fernando Valley so far.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said on X that he is cooperating with the state’s Office of Emergency Services and local authorities “to monitor the earthquake in the Los Angeles area and evaluating any potential damage.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said on X that the earthquake was felt in the Los Angeles area. She added that the Los Angeles Fire Department “has activated to conduct its routine survey of the city to assess for any damages” and “city teams will continue to monitor” the situation.
The quake’s depth was recorded at seven miles. Shaking is more likely to be felt during earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 40 miles.
The magnitude was originally reported at 5.1, but it has since been downgraded.
Aftershocks with magnitudes of 2.8, 2.4, 1.8, 1.5 and 2.1 were also felt in the area.
“Aftershocks tend to occur for weeks to months after the initial earthquake,” James Bourke, a post-doctoral fellow at the Rutgers University Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, previously told Newsweek.
Trains on Los Angeles’ Metro system were slowed to check for damages, according to an X post from Los Angeles Metro. Metro said the practice is standard procedure and no damage was found during the check.
There have been no reports of injuries or significant damage so far.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said it surveyed the city “by land, air, and sea” and found no significant infrastructure damage or injuries.
There are no active tsunami warnings, advisories, watches or threats following the seismic activity.
The region has been affected by several large earthquakes recently, including a 5.2-magnitude quake last month centered south of Bakersfield.
On Saturday, earthquakes of magnitudes 3.5 and 3.9 were felt in parts of Southern California, including Los Angeles and Orange County. The quakes were centered in Ontario, California.
On August 13, Los Angeles and surrounding communities experienced a 4.4-magnitude earthquake. The epicenter was located two miles south of the Highland Park area. Shaking was felt in Los Angeles County, Orange County and Riverside County.
The region had reported 13 earthquakes measuring a magnitude of 4.0 or greater this year by mid-August. That is higher than the area’s average of 10 to 12 per year.
Check back for updates on this breaking news story.
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