Location map of the magnitude 4.4 earthquake that struck near Los
Angeles Tuesday morning. (USGS / Google)
The early morning quiet on Tuesday in Southern California was broken by a magnitude 4.4 earthquake near Los Angeles. The temblor, centered near Pico Rivera, caused no major damage but rattled area residents and put first responders on alert.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake occurred at 4:04am and originated 11.7 miles below the surface of the earth. The epicenter was less than a half mile from Pico Rivera or 10 miles east-southeast of downtown Los Angeles.
While the quake was relatively small, it was felt across a large swath of Southern California. Reports indicate it was felt as far north as Rosamond, as far east as Lucerne Valley and as far as Poway near San Diego to the south.
Pico Rivera sheriff's officer Sgt. Jacqueline Sanchez told the Associated Press that most inmates at the county jail slept through the quake although the department did receive some calls. She said that deputies were being dispatched to check critical infrastructure items like bridges and dams to ensure no damage was received.
.gif){kind=small}
.gif){kind=small}
Or be notified by email when a new article from the Natural Disasters Examiner is posted. Click the 'Subscribe' link at the top or bottom of the article and enter your email address.
There is a relatively small chance put at 5% that this morning’s quake is a “foreshock” of a bigger temblor California Institute of Technology seismologist Kate Hutton said.
Recent months have seen a number of notable earthquakes and even little ones are causing residents in affected areas to take notice. The magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Haiti in January has been followed by a number of notable temblors. Last month’s 8.8 magnitude quake near Chile was the fifth largest recorded since 1900.
Earthquake Details
| Magnitude | 4.4 |
|---|---|
| Date-Time |
|
| Location | 33.992°N, 118.082°W |
| Depth | 18.9 km (11.7 miles) |
| Region | GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIFORNIA |
| Distances |
|
| Location Uncertainty | horizontal +/- 0.3 km (0.2 miles); depth +/- 0.6 km (0.4 miles) |
| Parameters | Nph=177, Dmin=6 km, Rmss=0.39 sec, Gp= 22°, M-type=local magnitude (ML), Version=4 |
| Source | |
| Event ID | ci14601172 |
Comments
This quake should be a wake-up call for all Californians to be prepared. Only 12.5 percent of homeowners in California have earthquake insurance. Who's going to pay for all of the damage when the big one hits? Will Los Angeles end up like New Orleans after Katrina?
The Earthquakes will get bigger and bigger, as the ice sheets melt at the polar caps. The weight of the water is shifting the earths crust. We have damaged the earth through mining, damming, underground atomic testing. We must be more responsible, and elect responsible leaders who will enact responsible laws.
We must learn how to sustain ourselves.
Earthquake insurance has a a small cap, so you will lose 90% of your value even if you have earthquake insurance
this is just a normal earthquake and it should be nothing to be terrified about :)
It was a blessing this quake happened in a less populated area. Had it been in any neighboring cities, we would have seen a lot of damage. The 3 earthquakes in the past few months and the Tsunami just a few years ago have wiped out half a million people. We don't know what is to come in the next few months and years. So many people in the country mock at "Global Warming". It is so amazing that these people think that they don't need to change their habits. Weather patterns across the globe are changing. Natural disasters are becoming more and more frequent. I hope people acknowledge Global Warming is real and take actions to save the world for their kids and grand kids.
This earthquake isn't a real biggie but there could be bigger ones in the future. I know i sound like i'm a total don't do this because it might be worse in the future but the earthquake didn't bother me ;)
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!