Earthquake of magnitude 4.7 shakes Southern California in Malibu

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake north of Malibu shook Southern California on Thursday.

The quake occurred at 7:28 a.m. and was felt throughout the region. No significant damage is expected from an earthquake of this magnitude.

The epicenter of the earthquake was closest to the Malibu Fault, said seismologist Lucy Jones, a research associate at Caltech.

“Light” shaking, as defined on the modified Mercalli intensity scale, was felt in Malibu, Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills and Calabasas. Light shaking causes dishes, windows and doors to shake, causes cracking sounds in walls and can feel like a heavy truck has crashed into a building.

“Weak” earthquakes were felt in most parts of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, including downtown LA, Santa Monica, Long Beach, the San Fernando, San Gabriel and Antelope valleys, Orange County and the Inland Empire.

Earthquakes have been more noticeable recently in densely populated areas of Southern California, but that fact doesn't help predict whether a larger, destructive earthquake is coming sooner or later, earthquake experts say.

Some residents were warned by the state's earthquake early warning system.

Shortly after the earthquake, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said on X that the city's fire department had begun its routine surveys in the city to determine the damage. Currently, all fire stations are conducting the surveys and there are no initial reports of damage yet, said Margaret Stewart, a spokeswoman for the fire department.

The epicenter of the quake was in the Malibu Hills off Kanan-Dume Road near Ramirez Canyon.