A magnitude 4.2 earthquake struck near Malibu early Wednesday morning, giving thousands of residents a rude awakening.
It also prompted Los Angeles emergency management officials to conduct a 470-square-mile survey of the city that turned up no signs of damage or injuries.
The quake struck at 2 a.m., followed by a magnitude 3.6 aftershock at 2:03 a.m., according to the US Geological Survey.
Two more aftershocks were reported. The first was magnitude 2.9 at 2:22 a.m. and the second was magnitude 2.8 at 2:38 a.m.
The quakes were centered offshore, about 10 miles south of Malibu and 15 miles southwest of Santa Monica, according to the USGS.
The magnitude 4.2 quake had a depth of approximately 9 miles. It was centered 15.4 miles west of Venice and 16.3 miles west of El Segundo.
The National Weather Service said tsunamis were not expected.
“The 106 neighborhood fire stations will conduct a strategic survey of their districts, looking at all major areas of concern (transport infrastructure, large gathering places, apartment buildings, power lines, etc.),” Nicholas Prange of the Los Angeles Fire Department. he said after the tremor, noting that the agency went into “earthquake mode.”
Shortly before 9 am, the department announced that the survey was complete.
“No damage or injuries reported and normal operational mode resumed,” LAFD tweeted.
The examination was carried out from land, air and sea.
Malibu officials said there were no signs of damage in the community and all roads remained open. However, officials warned motorists to “watch out for possible rockfall in Malibu Canyon, Kanan and other canyons.”
The quake occurred almost exactly five years after a similar size quake struck Southland at 2:09 a.m. on January 25, 2018.
– city news service
