4.7-Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Malibu and Southern California Coast

Los Angeles— On Thursday morning, a 4.7-magnitude earthquake shook the Southern California coast, with inhabitants of the opulent enclave of Malibu bearing the worst of the shaking.

The quake, which was centered approximately 4 miles north of Malibu, was felt east across Los Angeles County, as far north as Bakersfield and south to San Diego, according to USGS officials.

According to officials, the quake occurred around 7:28 a.m. PT, about 7 miles below the surface.

There have been at least five aftershocks, the most violent of which was a 3.4 jolt about 8:40 a.m., according to USGS statistical seismologist Morgan Page.

There were no initial reports of injuries or structural damage, according to L.A. County Sheriff’s Sgt. Adam Zeko works at the department’s Malibu/Lost Hills Station, which is not far from the epicenter.

Susan Hough, a scientist with the USGS’s Earthquake Hazards Program, described Thursday’s earthquake as a “relatively weak shaking” event that “would have been felt over most of the greater Los Angeles area, which has an awful lot of people.”

While Thursday’s quake was minor, it was significant for its position in one of Southern California’s most densely inhabited areas.

“This earthquake was felt by millions of people,” Hough told the crowd.

According to Page, there is a 1-in-20 probability that a stronger earthquake will strike the region in the coming days.

“Earthquakes like to cluster up with other earthquakes in space and time, and this earthquake is no exception,” according to Page. “You can expect about a 5% chance that (in) the next week, you’ll get an earthquake at least that big or larger.”

She went further: “But in most cases, nothing bigger happens.”

Pepperdine University in Malibu reported no immediate damage, and classes were slated to continue as planned on Thursday.

“It shook the building, a two-story building, pretty good,” Pepperdine spokesperson Michael Friel said about the quake. “We have no reports, at this time, of any damage and thankfully, of course, of any injuries.”

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