Small quake rattles nerves, causes no damage in Los Angeles

Small quake rattles nerves, causes no damage in Los Angeles
In this Jan. 21, 2011, file photo, the sun sets beyond the Los Angeles skyline, as seen from Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. The U.S. Geological Survey said a magnitude-3.6 quake hit at about 11:20 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, Its epicenter was about 3.6 miles (6 kilometers) northwest of Westwood, California. While the quake wasn't big enough to cause much damage, the USGS says dozens of people in the Los Angeles area reported feeling the tremor. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

Los Angeles was jolted by a small earthquake that rattled nerves and got people talking on social media, but didn't cause any major damage.

The magnitude 3.6 hit around 11:20 p.m. Monday and was felt by thousands of residents in west Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, across the San Fernando Valley and as far north as the Antelope Valley.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the epicenter was about 3.6 miles (6 kilometers) northwest of the Westwood neighborhood, home to the University of California, Los Angeles. Residents near UCLA reported feeling a sharp jolt followed by a short rumble. Some said they were shaken awake in bed.

Former Los Angeles Laker Rick Fox, whose Westwood home was rattled, tweeted that the quake "wasn't funny."

Authorities said there were no reports of damage or injuries.

"We get these size earthquakes fairly frequently," said USGS seismologist Zachary Reeves to the Los Angeles Times. "Any severe damage would be pretty unlikely."

Earthquake-hardened veterans commented on , including some in Hollywood.

Actor Josh Gad tweeted that he probably should have checked on his kids, but he scrolled through Twitter instead. Former CBS "Late Late Show" host Craig Ferguson quipped that the rumble had him "sitting up in bed with an automatic weapon waiting for zombies."

The quake was a trending topic on Twitter early Tuesday.

© 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Citation: Small quake rattles nerves, causes no damage in Los Angeles (2017, September 19) retrieved 29 March 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2017-09-small-quake-rattles-nerves-los.html
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