A magnitude 4.4 earthquake hit a densely populated area of Los Angeles County on Monday, causing buildings to shake and leaving residents on edge throughout Southern California.
The tremor, which struck at 12:20 p.m. near Highland Park at a depth of nearly six miles, was initially recorded as a 4.7 magnitude before being downgraded.
While there were no major reports of injuries, the quake was felt across a wide area, from San Diego County to Simi Valley and as far as Victorville and Redlands.
Residents close to the epicenter experienced a significant jolt, with some sharing videos of the shaking that led to frightened pets and startled residents.
Kyle Shearer from Highland Park described the experience as “very, very scary,” noting it was likely the most intense quake he’d felt in a long time. Christine Chandler, a nursing professor in Glendale, described the shaking as “violent,” contrasting it with the more rolling quakes commonly felt in the region.
The Los Angeles County and City Fire Departments quickly activated earthquake mode to check for damage, but no significant issues were found, leading to the conclusion of the response at 1:15 p.m. Some minor damage was reported in Pasadena, close to the quake’s center, where a pipe broke at City Hall, causing a water leak and leading to the evacuation of about 200 employees. Additionally, one person was briefly trapped in an elevator but was promptly rescued by firefighters.
Pasadena Fire Department Deputy Chief Anthony James, who was out driving at the time, described the quake as making the ground feel like it was “moving away” from under him. The department, while checking reports of a broken gas line, did not find substantial damage.
Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones explained that the quake felt stronger due to its proximity to a densely populated area compared to other recent earthquakes. The precise fault involved is difficult to identify, but Jones noted that the same network of buried faults was involved in the 1987 Whittier Narrows quake.
