4.7-magnitude earthquake strikes near Malibu and rattles Los Angeles area

A 4.7-magnitude earthquake struck near Malibu on Thursday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. 

The quake happened at 7:28 a.m., with an epicenter 3.5 miles northwest of Malibu. Shaking was felt as far east as the Inland Empire and as far north as the Central Valley. It was about 6.5 miles deep. 

Los Angeles County Public Works officials said rocks and debris left along Malibu Canyon Road were likely a result of the earthquake. Some clean up efforts along the roadway could be seen around 8:45 a.m., with crews using a skip loader to clear the area.

More than a dozen aftershocks followed within the next two hours, including a 3.4-magnitude quake just over an hour later. By 3:30 p.m., there had been 28 smaller tremors with a magnitude as low as 1.0 reported by the U.S. Geological Survey. Friday, a 3.4 magnitude aftershock struck near Malibu at 4:56 a.m.

The 4.7-magnitude quake was initially reported as a 5.1 magnitude earthquake but was downgraded to a 4.7 magnitude, potentially occurring along the Hollywood fault. The fault is approximately 9 miles in length, located along the northern edge of the Los Angeles basin.

Seismologist Lucy Jones clarified that weather plays no part in earthquakes, denouncing the idea that the recent heat wave may have triggered the quake. The National Weather Service reported there was no tsunami warning generated by the quake.

So far, there are no additional reports of structural damage or injuries. "Pursuant to protocol, the Los Angeles Fire Department is now in earthquake mode, as personnel from all 106 neighborhood fire stations conduct a strategic survey by land, air and sea of their districts, examining critical infrastructure and areas of local concern across our 470-square-mile city of Los Angeles jurisdiction," the LAFD said in a statement shortly after the quake. 

This is just the latest earthquake to rattle Southern California recently. Just last Saturday, a 3.9-magnitude quake hit near Ontario and was followed by more than a dozen aftershocks. On Aug. 28, a 3.5-magnitude earthquake struck near Hemet and a 4.4-magnitude quake near Highland Park last month was felt across a wide swath of Los Angeles County.

A 2.8-magnitude earthquake immediately following the 4.7 quake was northwest of the larger one, along Pacific Coast Highway and west of Zuma Beach, while the 3.4-magnitude was just northeast of it.