September 12th 2024.
The city of Los Angeles had an eerie glow as wildfires raged in the mountains, casting an orange hue against the downtown skyline. But the residents of Southern California were about to be reminded of Mother Nature's power in a different way.
In the early morning hours, a 4.7 magnitude earthquake shook the Los Angeles area, jolting locals awake and sending boulders tumbling onto a road in Malibu. The quake, which caused Santa Monica's wooden pier to shake and even woke some people from their beds, fortunately did not result in any injuries or damages.
Unfortunately, this earthquake came at a time when the region was already dealing with three major wildfires burning east of Los Angeles. These blazes had already destroyed many homes and forced thousands to evacuate, causing chaos and fear in the area. And to make matters worse, the earthquake occurred during a particularly intense heat wave that had just subsided.
"It's just a typical Southern California earthquake," explained Lucy Jones, a seismologist at the California Institute of Technology. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the epicenter was located 7 kilometers north of Malibu and 11 kilometers below the surface. The earthquake was felt as far as 72 kilometers away in Orange County, where people reported feeling their belongings moving in their homes. Several smaller aftershocks followed the initial quake.
Authorities were quick to survey the area for any damages, but fortunately, nothing major was found. Malibu Councilmember Bruce Silverstein, who has lived in the community for 13 years, described the earthquake as the strongest he has felt, but thankfully nothing was broken.
Even the media was impacted by the earthquake, with cameras shaking in television studios and the 115-year-old Santa Monica Pier captured on camera as it shook during the quake. Crews worked to clear large boulders that had rolled onto Malibu Canyon Road, near the epicenter of the earthquake.
According to Jones, the earthquake occurred near the Malibu fault but was also close to the Anacapa fault. However, earthquakes below magnitude 5.0 are usually too small to be associated with large faults that are mapped on the earth's surface.
For many residents, the earthquake was a startling wake-up call. At The Country Kitchen breakfast place in Malibu, manager Rene Vasquez described how the kitchen staff ducked outside as a safety precaution. But for Albert Daniel, a surfer enjoying coffee at a local Starbucks, the earthquake was nothing more than a minor inconvenience. He even joked that he was hoping for some big waves to surf after the earthquake.
Trudy Novicki, who was visiting from San Clemente, was about to meditate on her hotel balcony when she felt the shake. She initially thought a truck had crashed into the building. Her daughter, who was visiting from Florida, mistook the earthquake for a passing train.
Many people, including some celebrities, took to social media to share their experiences of being awakened by the earthquake. Paris Hilton tweeted, "That #Earthquake was scary," while Khloe Kardashian posted, "Damn that was a big one."
Some residents were even alerted by the state's earthquake early warning system. This was not the first time the Los Angeles area had felt the effects of an earthquake. In August, a 4.4 magnitude earthquake shook the region, causing damage and setting off car alarms. And just a few months prior, a 4.6 magnitude earthquake was felt in Malibu.
While this recent increase in earthquake activity has some residents worried, Jones reassured them that it does not necessarily mean a larger, more destructive earthquake is on the way. However, she did caution that there is a 1 in 20 chance that another earthquake of this magnitude or higher could occur. So, it's important for residents to stay prepared and be aware of the possibility of more aftershocks.
In the end, this earthquake was just another reminder of the unpredictable power of Mother Nature and a testament to the resilience of the people of Southern California.
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