Hold on… 4.4 magnitude earthquake shakes Los Angeles as millions are reminded of the constant lurking danger

A 4.4 magnitude earthquake shook Southern California on Monday afternoon, sending tremors across the region. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) initially reported the quake as a 4.7 magnitude, but later revised it. The earthquake struck at approximately 12:20 p.m., about 2.5 miles southeast of Highland Park near Los Angeles’ Chinatown, at a depth of 7.5 miles.

The quake was widely felt throughout the greater Los Angeles area, with reports of shaking from L.A.’s westside to the Inland Empire. In Hollywood, KTLA’s Glen Walker described the “whole building shaking pretty good,” prompting the station’s engineering team to inspect the premises.

In response, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) initiated “earthquake mode,” deploying personnel from all 106 neighborhood stations to assess potential damage to critical infrastructure. As of 1:45 p.m., no significant damage had been reported within the LAFD’s service area. However, Sky 5 footage showed water leaking from Pasadena City Hall, where fire crews were on the scene.

Margaret Stewart of the LAFD confirmed that there were no reports of extensive damage. Additionally, the National Weather Service announced that the U.S. Tsunami Warning System was not triggered, and there was no tsunami threat following the quake.

This is a developing story. Stay tuned to KTLA 5 News for further updates.

California experiences thousands of earthquakes annually, but most are minor. The USGS notes that several hundred quakes reach a magnitude of 3.0, while only 15 to 20 exceed a magnitude of 4.0.

In North America, only Alaska records more quakes per year than California.