News

Earthquake Rattles LA Out Of Bed

by Jenny Hollander

On Monday morning, an 4.4-magnitude earthquake struck Los Angeles at 6.25 a.m.. The rolling earthquake was confirmed by the United States Geological Survey agency shortly after it rolled through LA, west of LA's downtown civic center, but many residents didn't need to be told — it was strongly felt throughout the city, waking up a number of people. The quake was about five miles deep, and the LA Fire Department said they'd received no reports of damage.

Initially reported to be 4.7-magnitude, the USGS swiftly downgraded the quake to a 4.4. There are no reports of injuries. Its epicenter was six miles from Beverly Hills, seven miles from Universal City and seven miles from Santa Monica, according to official USGS.

On Jan. 15 this year, a 4.4-magnitude earthquake struck a wide swathe of Southern California, about 50 miles east of downtown LA. Though residents said it sounded like a bombing, there were no severe injuries reported.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Northridge earthquake, which killed 57 people and injured 5,000 when it struck the San Fernando Valley at 4.31 a.m. It was one of the costliest and deadliest natural disasters ever seen in LA, with damage occurring in a 85-mile radius, and costs racking up to $20 billion.