Earthquake rattles the Los Angeles area

LOS ANGELES (AP) — An earthquake was felt widely in the Los Angeles area Thursday morning.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported a preliminary 4.7 magnitude quake centered 4 miles (7 kilometers) north of Malibu. The temblor was about 7 miles (11 kilometers) below the surface, USGS said.

The jolt was felt as far as 45 miles (72 kilometers) away in Orange County where some people reported their lamps swaying and other items moving in their homes.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said fire authorities are surveying the city. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services said it was actively monitoring the quake and checking for any damage. A number of quakes have hit the area this year. A 4.4 magnitude earthquake in August was felt from the Los Angeles area all the way to San Diego, swaying buildings, rattling dishes and setting off car alarms.

Rene Vasquez, manager at The Country Kitchen breakfast place in Malibu, said the shaking lasted a few seconds and kitchen staff ducked outside as a precaution, but there was no damage.

“It wasn’t that bad,” Vasquez said. “Thank God nothing fell.”

People took to social media to post they were awakened by a jolt early Wednesday, including several celebrities who posted on X.

Paris Hilton wrote on X “That #Earthquake was scary,” and Khloe Kardashian posted “Damn that was a big one.”

The quake comes as the region has been dealing with three major wildfires burning east of Los Angeles that torched dozens of homes and forced thousands to evacuate. The blazes erupted amid a blistering heat wave that has just subsided.