Southern California residents received a jolting reminder of the region’s seismic activity when a magnitude-4.6 earthquake struck northwest of Malibu early Friday afternoon. The tremor, originating about 7 miles northwest of Malibu in the Santa Monica Mountains, was felt from the coast to inland areas, impacting a vast number of communities and possibly as many as 12 million people.
The earthquake was reported just before 2 p.m. and was followed by a series of aftershocks, with the largest recorded at magnitudes 3.0 and 2.7 within the first hour. Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones described the event as having ‘a very robust aftershock sequence’ and noted that the likelihood of it being a foreshock to a larger event diminishes over time.
Residents throughout the greater Los Angeles area, including the LA, Orange, and Ventura county coasts, experienced the shaking. Reports came from as far as the South Bay, Long Beach, and inland regions like the San Fernando Valley, downtown LA, Riverside, Irvine, and Anaheim. Even parts of north San Diego County felt weak to light shaking.
Marla Dailey, who was working in a Thousand Oaks dental office at the time, recounted the experience as ‘a major jolt.’ Despite the initial alarm, she mentioned that ‘the patients were fine, and they continued on with the dentistry.’
Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of significant damage, and the Los Angeles Fire Department was quick to conduct a standard damage survey. The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center also confirmed that the earthquake did not trigger a tsunami.
The Malibu Coast Fault, which runs along the coastline in the Santa Monica Mountains and is near Pacific Palisades, Westwood, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica, is a potential origin for the quake. This fault’s eastern end meets the Santa Monica Fault, indicating a complex network of seismic activity in the area.
This seismic event coincides with the anniversary of the deadly magnitude-6.5 1971 San Fernando earthquake, which caused extensive damage and loss of life. The historic quake’s origin was in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains north of Los Angeles, and its impact was felt across a broad area.
In a separate incident, a magnitude-5.7 earthquake shook Hawaii’s Big Island, causing tremors about 200 miles away on Oahu, including Honolulu. This event was not related to the seismic activity in Southern California.
As Southern California navigates the aftermath of this quake, it serves as a reminder of the importance of earthquake preparedness and the need for residents to maintain emergency kits and stay informed about seismic risks.
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Magnitude-4.6 Malibu earthquake shakes Southern California from coast to inland areas
Magnitude 4.6 earthquake rattles Southern California (ktla.com)
