A magnitude 4.1 earthquake was observed offshore near California on New Year’s Day morning as per the US Geological Survey.
At 8:27 a.m. local time, the seismic event happened 11 miles from Rancho Palos Verdes and 13 miles from Los Angeles.
According to a recent three-year data sample cited by The Los Angeles Times, the greater Los Angeles area experiences an average of five earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 4.0 to 5.0 per year.
Michigan Technological University claims that earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 2.5 to 5.4 are frequently felt but rarely cause significant damage. Most people are rarely affected by earthquakes of less than 2.5 magnitude.
On Monday, shaking was observed throughout the Southern California region, however, there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
Good morning and Happy New Year Southern California! Did you feel the M4.1 quake about 12 miles south of Rancho Palos Verdes at 8:27 am? The #ShakeAlert system was activated. @Cal_OES @CAGeoSurvey @ListosCA @ShakeOut @ECA pic.twitter.com/TVyxANBLDw
— USGS ShakeAlert (@USGS_ShakeAlert) January 1, 2024
It comes after a series of powerful earthquakes were reported in Japan, killing numerous people. Emergency services hurried to rescue individuals trapped under rubble, with Japan’s top cabinet secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, claiming that “many” buildings had collapsed.
One of the quakes measured 7.5 on the Richter scale, causing the authorities to issue tsunami warnings along the coast.
The tsunami warnings were then downgraded to tsunami advisories by Japan’s weather service.
A tsunami warning was issued this morning, indicating a risk of 3m waves or higher. However, an advisory implies that the weather service expects waves could reach 1m in height.
The agency also warned citizens to be on the lookout for earthquakes of comparable magnitude in the following week, according to national broadcaster NHK.