Magnitude 4.7 earthquake shakes areas of Southern California.

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 Numerous aftershocks occur after the magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Malibu.

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake was registered in Ventura County, California, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). 

The quake occurred at 7:28 a.m. and was centered approximately four miles north of Malibu. The USGS reported at least five aftershocks, with the strongest, measuring 3.5 in magnitude, happening less than a mile from the epicenter at 9:37 a.m. 

Experts indicate that earthquakes with magnitudes between 4 and 5 typically result in light shaking, causing minimal to no damage.

Shaking was felt in downtown Los Angeles, with many residents receiving alerts from the USGS’s ShakeAlert system seconds before they experienced the tremor. 

The Los Angeles Fire Department announced that there were no reported injuries or damage to infrastructure after personnel from over 100 fire stations conducted extensive surveys through land, air, and sea.

Seismologist Lucy Jones, a geophysics research associate at the California Institute of Technology, noted that the earthquake's epicenter was near the Malibu fault but stated that there is no clear link to that fault based on current data. She mentioned that in Southern California, everyone lives within five miles of an active fault.

“This serves as a reminder that the recent calm period is not the long-term norm, and we need to remain prepared,” she advised.

By this time of year, California usually experiences around eight earthquakes of magnitude 4 or higher, but in 2024, there have already been 14.

Joanne Gary, a Malibu resident, expressed her feelings, saying, “I thought it was never going to end. I started to wonder if it was the big one, given all these little quakes.” 

Millions across the region, including in Malibu, Westlake Village, Agoura, Thousand Oaks, and Los Angeles, felt the tremor.