A 4.2 magnitude earthquake followed by a strong aftershock rattled Southern California early Wednesday morning, awaking thousands of people.
There were no reports of damage or injuries.
The quake struck at 2 a.m. and was centered offshore, 16 kilometers south of Malibu Beach and due west of Los Angeles, at a depth of 14 kilometers, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The quake was followed by a 3.5 magnitude aftershock at 2:03 a.m. and progressively weaker aftershocks at 2:22 a.m. and 2:38 a.m.
The temblor prompted the Los Angeles Fire Department to go into earthquake mode, which involved a rapid infrastructure survey of all major “areas of concern,” LAFD said.
“Your LAFD completed a strategic 470 square-mile survey of the City of Los Angeles following the 4.2M earthquake near Malibu. No damage or injuries were reported and normal operational mode has resumed,” LAFD announced at 2:45 a.m.
No tsunami warning was issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Wednesday’s quake was centered approximately 17 miles southwest of the magnitude 6.7 Northridge Earthquake of 1994 which killed 72 people and caused more than $20 billion in damage.
Earthquake Resources:
- CDC: How to stay safe during an earthquake
- USGS: How to prepare for an earthquake
- What to do after an earthquake
Hundreds of earthquakes are recorded in California each year. Most are extremely minor.
According to the California Department of Conservation, the strongest quake ever recorded in the Golden State measured magnitude 7.9 and struck Fort Tejon on Jan. 9, 1857.