Magnitude 5.3 earthquake rattles southern California
A strong earthquake rattled portions of Southern California on Thursday afternoon. The US Geological Survey registered a preliminary magnitude of 5.3, centered about 35 miles southwest of the Channel Islands, and 86 miles west of Los Angeles.
The quake struck just before 12:30 p.m., and was felt throughout Southern California. The USGS initially registered the temblor as a 5.0.
An earthquake rattled portions of Southern California on Thursday afternoon, registering at a preliminary magnitude of 5.3, the US Geological Survey reported.
The earthquake was centered around 35 miles southwest of the Channel Islands, and about 86 miles west of Los Angeles. Local news outlets reported that the temblor was felt from the western San Fernando Valley city of Woodland Hills to West Los Angeles, and further east toward Burbank.
The quake caused Business Insider's offices in West Hollywood to sway for several minutes.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. No tsunami warnings were in effect in the minutes following the quake, the US National Tsunami Warning Center said.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said it is in "earthquake mode," a strategic posture during which firefighters from the 106 neighborhoods where the agency stationed provides "a complete and strategic survey of over 470 sq miles in the greater Los Angeles area to ensure safety for all," the fire department said in a press release.
Renowned seismologist Lucy Jones described the Tuesday afternoon temblor as a "moderate" earthquake, KTLA reported. By comparison, the 1994 Northridge, California, earthquake registered at a 6.7 magnitude, killing more than 60 people and injuring thousands of others.
More to come ...
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