A seismic event of magnitude 4.6 originating northwest of Malibu rocked Southern California, spanning from coastal regions to inland areas. The tremors were felt extensively, encompassing downtown Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, South Bay, Riverside, Orange County, and beyond.
Occurring just before 2 p.m., approximately 7 miles northwest of Malibu within the Santa Monica Mountains, the earthquake triggered widespread shaking throughout the region. Subsequently, a sequence of aftershocks ensued, with the most prominent registering magnitudes of 3.0 and 2.7 within the hour.
Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones noted the robust nature of the aftershock sequence, indicating that the likelihood of a larger seismic event occurring as a result decreases over time.
Reports of shaking flooded in from various parts of the greater Los Angeles area, potentially affecting upwards of 12 million individuals. Sensations were reported from coastal areas such as LA, Orange, and Ventura counties, extending inland to locations like the San Fernando Valley, downtown LA, Riverside, Irvine, and Anaheim. Even some areas of northern San Diego County experienced weak to light tremors.
Marla Dailey, who was at work in a Thousand Oaks dental office during the quake, described the experience as a significant jolt, though operations continued without major disruptions.
Despite the intensity of the quake, immediate reports indicated no significant damage. However, the Los Angeles Fire Department commenced a standard damage assessment protocol.
The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center confirmed that the earthquake did not trigger a tsunami.
Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones suggested that the quake possibly occurred along the Malibu Coast Fault, which runs along the coastline in the Santa Monica Mountains, adjacent to communities such as Pacific Palisades, Westwood, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica.
Coincidentally, the earthquake transpired on the anniversary of the devastating magnitude-6.5 1971 San Fernando earthquake, which caused significant casualties and property damage, and sparked fears of a dam collapse.
In a separate incident on the same day, a magnitude-5.7 earthquake on Hawaii’s Big Island shook areas as far as 200 miles away on Oahu, including Honolulu. This event, however, was unrelated to the seismic activity in Southern California.