A magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck just east of downtown Los Angeles today at 4:04 a.m. The epicenter was located in Pico Rivera, between east L.A. and Whittier, at a depth of about 11.7 miles. Millions of Southern Californians were jolted awake by the temblor, but there have been no reports of injuries, damage or power outages.
All is calm
In an Associated Press report, Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Steve Rudahat said, “All is calm in the city of Los Angeles.” Calm may be a dramatic overstatement at any time in Los Angeles, but the point is well taken: The quake was a small one.
No injuries or damage
Shortly after the earthquake, there were reports of damage to a portion of southbound Interstate 5 south of Downey, although that stretch of road is subject to heavy big-rig traffic. Damage in the same area had been reported yesterday and is believed to be normal wear and tear. With a little help from money lenders and a few instant cash loans, that stretch of road should be good as new.
Low magnitude jolt extending over a wide area
In the realm of Southern California earthquakes, today’s was a small one, but it stretched over a large swath of land. The USGS Earthquake Hazards Program reports a 10-mile radius, spreading from San Bernardino County to Santa Monica. Reports of the quake came from as far away as Watts, Sun City, West L.A. and Riverside.
Whittier fault line believed to be at fault
Some sources state that it has not yet been determined which fault was responsible for the quake, although Nowpublic.com reports that the quake struck along the Whittier fault line and that Cal Tech seismologist Kate Hutton describes it as a thrust earthquake, in which only one side of the fault line moves.
In October 1987, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake along the Whittier fault line killed eight people and caused more than $350 million in damage. According to Hutton, today’s quake may be a precursor to a larger seismic event, but the likelihood of a recurrence lessens as time passes.
