Magnitude 4.6 earthquakes shakes storm-battered Los Angeles area

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.6 on Friday rocked a Los Angeles region that has been battered by a series of winter storms since last week.

The quake was centered about 7 miles northwest of Malibu, in mountainous terrain near Los Angeles County's northern coastline, according to data from the U.S. Geological Survey.

It struck at 1:47 p.m. local time, the USGS said.

At least two aftershocks at preliminary magnitude 2.7 and 3.0 were recorded after the 4.6 earthquake, according to the USGS.

Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesperson Fred Fielding told NBC Los Angeles an earthquake of that magnitude is “only going to cause minor damage,” he said.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said on social media platform X that residents should check their residences and neighbors.

"After surveying your home for #quake damage and assuring no injuries, please check on your pets and at-risk neighbors, especially seniors living alone," it said.

LAFD spokesperson Erik Scott told NBC Los Angeles that there has been "no significant damage" so far.

A Ventura County Fire Department X account said the department was “fully operational and reporting no injuries.”

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System said no wave threat was likely from the temblor.

Despite its mellow nature, the earthquake might have been felt by as many as 12 million people, Caltech geophysics researcher Allen Husker, citing USGS data, said on NBC Los Angeles.

A ShakeAlert went out to the cellphones of MyShake app users and other subscribers to the USGS-run system. The alerts warn residents about an earthquake before it reaches many users, giving some time to take cover. The system is still evolving and depends on the addition of seismometers. It is available to