A 4.7-magnitude earthquake rocked the Los Angeles area Thursday morning, causing shockwaves from Malibu to Santa Monica and beyond. The epicenter of the earthquake was approximately 4.5 miles north of Malibu, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
Crews claimed that the tremor sent stones sliding across Malibu Canyon Road and that the historic Santa Monica Pier, erected in 1909, shook for several seconds during the broadcast, according to the Associated Press.
The earthquake interrupted a live FOX Sports broadcast. Chase Daniel, a host and former NFL player, shared footage of the incident on social media.
EARTHQUAKE LIVE ON OUR SHOW.
Holy cow that was my first earthquake I’ve ever experienced. @TheFacilityFS1 pic.twitter.com/g0BiRPhZXv
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) September 12, 2024
The earthquake struck at 7.28 a.m. local time, but the shock was strong enough to upset nerves and awaken people who were still sleeping. Several aftershocks followed, and authorities expect more in the following days.
Residents as far as Orange County felt the tremor and reported seeing items shift inside their homes. Celebrities such as Paris Hilton and Khloe Kardashian resorted to social media to express their upsetting experiences.
That #Earthquake was scary🥺
— Paris Hilton (@ParisHilton) September 12, 2024
The USGS initially recorded the earthquake’s magnitude as 5.1, but later lowered it. The earthquake occurred around 7 miles beneath the surface, according to the USGS.
Kathy Shapiro Wexler, visiting Long Beach from Memphis, Tennessee, witnessed her first earthquake while staying in a hotel room.
“I felt the building shake.” It began out modest, but it gradually became clear it was an earthquake,” Wexler told weather.com, adding that the tremor “startled me very hard!” The building rocked for around 10-15 seconds.”
This earthquake comes on the heels of a sweltering summer and three large wildfires in the area east of Los Angeles, heightening the stress.
