16
Los Angeles was rocked by a 4.7 magnitude earthquake on Thursday morning, sending shockwaves across the region. The tremor, centred 4 miles (7 km) north of Malibu and 7 miles (11 km) below the surface, caused boulders to tumble onto a Malibu road and visibly shook Santa Monica’s iconic 1909 wooden pier. No injuries or significant damages were reported, but the quake was felt as far as 45 miles (72 km) away in Orange County.Several smaller aftershocks followed.
Local authorities are surveying for any damage, though none has been deemed major at this time. The earthquake struck near the Malibu fault, with California Institute of Technology seismologist Lucy Jones noting that smaller quakes like this are too minor to be definitively linked to large surface faults.
As soon as the tremors hit, several celebrities took to social media to share their reactions. Reality star Khloe Kardashian, who resides in Hidden Hills, posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Damn, that was a big one.” Paris Hilton echoed the sentiment, writing, “That #Earthquake was scary.”
Model Amber Rose described it as “the biggest earthquake” she had ever experienced in California, while “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Garcelle Beauvais mentioned that she felt the jolt while in bed.
Local authorities are surveying for any damage, though none has been deemed major at this time. The earthquake struck near the Malibu fault, with California Institute of Technology seismologist Lucy Jones noting that smaller quakes like this are too minor to be definitively linked to large surface faults.
As soon as the tremors hit, several celebrities took to social media to share their reactions. Reality star Khloe Kardashian, who resides in Hidden Hills, posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Damn, that was a big one.” Paris Hilton echoed the sentiment, writing, “That #Earthquake was scary.”
Model Amber Rose described it as “the biggest earthquake” she had ever experienced in California, while “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Garcelle Beauvais mentioned that she felt the jolt while in bed.
This quake adds to a series of tremors that have shaken Southern California in recent months, including a 4.4 magnitude earthquake in August and a 4.6 magnitude tremor in February near Malibu. Despite the increased activity, experts say it is too early to determine whether the frequency of quakes is statistically significant.
The earthquake occurred as the region continues to battle wildfires east of Los Angeles, which have already destroyed homes and forced evacuations during an intense heatwave.