Earthquake Jolts Millions Awake in LA

There were no reports of injuries in 4.7-magnitude quake
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Sep 12, 2024 11:26 AM CDT
Earthquake Jolts Millions Awake in LA
A haze fills the air over the downtown skyline as wildfires rage in the region Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles.   (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

An earthquake was felt widely in the Los Angeles area Thursday morning. The US Geological Survey reported a preliminary 4.7 magnitude quake centered 4 miles north of Malibu. The temblor was about 7 miles below the surface, USGS said. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said fire authorities are surveying the city. There were no immediate reports of injuries. People took to social media to post they were awakened by a jolt early Wednesday, including several celebrities who posted on X, the AP reports. Paris Hilton wrote, "That #Earthquake was scary," while Khloe Kardashian posted, "Damn that was a big one."

The jolt was felt as far as 45 miles away in Orange County, where some people reported their lamps swaying and other items moving in their homes. The quake was followed by aftershocks with magnitudes between 1.8 and 3.4, NBC Los Angeles reports. The California Highway Patrol said large boulders rolled onto Malibu Canyon Road, near the epicenter, KTLA reports.

The quake comes as the region has been dealing with three major wildfires burning east of Los Angeles that have torched dozens of homes and forced thousands to evacuate. The blazes erupted amid a blistering heat wave that has just subsided. Firefighters took advantage of cooler weather Wednesday as they slowly gained the upper hand, the AP reports. (More California earthquake stories.)

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