Los Angeles Experiences 4.4 Magnitude Earthquake
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 the depth of 11.7 miles. Millions were awakened, but no injuries, damage, or power outages have been reported.
All is calm
An Associated Press release reports Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Steve Rudahat said that “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 area is believed to be due to normal wear and tear. Perhaps some instant cash loans from some money lenders will be what the doctor ordered for the freeway.
Smaller jolts throughout the area
As far as earthquakes in Southern California go, this was a small one, but it was over a large area. 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
It isn’t completely clear what fault was at fault, but 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 caused over $ 350 million in damages and killed eight people. Hutton believes this may have been a precursor to a larger event, but as time passes, the likelihood of such an event diminishes.
