Magnitude 4.2 Earthquake Shakes Off Coast of Malibu, CA
On Wednesday morning, a magnitude 4.2 earthquake shook off the coast of Malibu, California.[0] This was followed by a magnitude 3.5 aftershock at 2:03 a.m., and two more aftershocks of 2.8 and 2.6 magnitude at 2:22 a.m. and 2:38 a.m. respectively.[1] The earthquake was centered offshore, about 10 miles south of Malibu and 15 miles southwest of Santa Monica, at a depth of 9 miles.[2]
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) went into earthquake mode., conducting a strategic 470 square-mile survey of the city. The examination was conducted from the ground, air and sea and ended about 2:45 a.m. “No damage or injuries were reported and normal operational mode has resumed,” the department said in a statement. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, no tsunami was anticipated due to the earthquake.[3]
Annually, California records hundreds of earthquakes. Most are extremely minor, but the strongest earthquake recorded was a magnitude 7.9 earthquake that struck Fort Tejon on Jan. 9, 1857.[4] An average of 25 earthquakes with magnitudes between 4.0 and 5.0 occur every year in California and Nevada, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Wednesday's quake was too small to trigger alerts to cellphones from the ShakeAlert system, the USGS said.[5] “We know some of you felt shaking and we hope you took a protective action like Drop, Cover, and Hold On,” USGS ShakeAlert added.[6] It is an astonishing coincidence that Wednesday's earthquake happened precisely five years after a 4.0-magnitude earthquake shook Southern California at the same time (2 am).[7]
Residents took to social media to share their reactions to the quake, some who compared the quake's impact to a “train.” “Damn, that earth quake felt GNARLY here in The Valley,” wrote one Twitter user.[8] The USGS is requesting that anyone who experienced the earthquake report the brief shaking.[9]
Cops reported that two victims, aged 72 and 83, suffered “medical emergencies” and medics couldn't reach them.[10] The occurrence led the Los Angeles Fire Department to briefly enter “earthquake mode.”. A video from Today in LA reports on the morning earthquake.
0. “‘What a shaker': LA is hit by 4.2 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Malibu” Daily Mail, 25 Jan. 2023, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11674645/What-shaker-LA-hit-4-2-magnitude-earthquake-coast-Malibu.html
1. “4.2 magnitude earthquake hits Southern California; epicenter off coast of Los Angeles” KHON2, 25 Jan. 2023, https://www.khon2.com/news/national/4-2-magnitude-earthquake-hits-southern-california-epicenter-off-coast-of-los-angeles
2. “Magnitude 4.2 earthquake strikes near Malibu” ABC 10 News San Diego KGTV, 25 Jan. 2023, https://www.10news.com/news/magnitude-4-2-earthquake-strikes-near-malibu
3. “4.2 Magnitude Earthquake Rattles Los Angeles” iHeartRadio, 25 Jan. 2023, https://www.iheart.com/content/2023-01-25-42-magnitude-earthquake-rattles-los-angeles/
4. “4.2 magnitude earthquake hits Southern California” Yahoo Entertainment, 25 Jan. 2023, https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/4-2-magnitude-earthquake-hits-102519690.html
5. “Light quake gives Southern California an early morning jolt” KCRA Sacramento, 25 Jan. 2023, https://www.kcra.com/article/light-quake-gives-southern-california-early-morning-jolt/42656464
6. “4.2 magnitude earthquake strikes near Malibu” WLS-TV, 25 Jan. 2023, https://abc7chicago.com/42-magnitude-earthquake-strikes-near-malibu/12733718/
7. “4.2-magnitude earthquake shakes Malibu area, followed by multiple aftershock-quakes” FOX 10 News Phoenix, 25 Jan. 2023, https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/preliminary-4-2-magnitude-earthquake-hits-malibu-area
8. “Los Angeles Earthquake Jolts Residents Awake | Weather.com” The Weather Channel, 25 Jan. 2023, https://weather.com/news/news/2023-01-25-los-angeles-earthquake
9. “Los Angeles hit by earthquake with locals woken by ‘big jolt'” The Mirror, 25 Jan. 2023, https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/breaking-los-angeles-earthquake-city-29004823
10. “California earthquake – Tremors felt in LA after state is rocked by 4.2 magnitude quake off the coast of M…” The US Sun, 25 Jan. 2023, https://www.the-sun.com/news/7220239/california-earthquake-tremors-los-angeles-malibu/
11. “Did You Feel It? Quake Rattles Malibu Area” NBC Southern California, 25 Jan. 2023, https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/did-you-feel-it-quake-rattles-malibu-area/3080995