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4.7 earthquake strikes in the Malibu area
Environment Sep 12, 2024
This map shows areas that felt the Malibu earthquake Thursday. | Image courtesy of the USGS
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A magnitude 4.7 earthquake centered near Malibu shook Southern California on Thursday.
The earthquake occurred at 7:28 a.m. 3.5 miles northwest of Malibu and 4.9 miles southwest of Agoura Hills, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake was about 6.5 miles deep.
The earthquake was felt across a wide area, including the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys, Long Beach, the South Bay area, Orange County and Riverside County, USGS data showed.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or property damage.
The National Weather Service reported that the earthquake did not cause a tsunami warning.
The quake was originally reported as magnitude 5.1 but quickly dropped to 4.7. Several aftershocks followed, the largest registering magnitude 3.4 and another that was magnitude 2.8.
Southland seismologist Lucy Jones said it was uncertain which fault system generated the shaker, but it may have a 40% chance of being associated with the Malibu fault line. She said it was unlikely the recent heat wave may have triggered the seismic activity, stressing that weather plays no part in earthquakes because of their deep distance from the surface, according to published reports.
Updated Sept. 12, 2024, 9:26 a.m.