ROSEMEAD (CNS) - Residents across Southern California were checking their homes and apartments this morning for any damage caused by a magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck two miles south of Rosemead and was felt across a large portion of the region, including Orange County.
The quake struck at 11:38 p.m. Friday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was in almost the same location as the magnitude 5.9 Whittier Narrows earthquake in 1987, famed seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones said.
“Just like in '87, the earthquake is quite deep ... it's possibly on the same fault,” Jones told NBC4 early Saturday morning.
She later tweeted this quake “is not considered an aftershock (to the Whittier Narrows quake) because the aftershocks died off completely in less than two years.”
A pair of aftershocks, magnitudes 2.1 and 1.6, struck within 10 minutes of Friday's quake, Jones said.
She said there is about a 5% chance this was a foreshock to a bigger earthquake.
The Los Angeles Fire Department went into “Earthquake Mode, with all 106 Neighborhood Fire Stations checking their areas for damage.”
About 12:45 a.m., the department said it had completed its assessments.
“Though felt widely in the greater Los Angeles area, we are pleased to report there are no serious injuries, and no preliminary indication of significant infrastructure damage within the City of Los Angeles,” department spokesman Brian Humphrey said.
The department asked residents to also check on at-risk neighbors, especially seniors living alone, and pets.
Immediately after the quake, the department called on residents to be prepared for aftershocks.
“If inside when shaking starts: DROP, COVER, HOLD ON,” the department said in a statement. “Protect your head (and) neck while taking cover under sturdy furniture or near a sturdy interior wall, away from windows and doorways until the shaking stops.”
There were no reports of damage at Los Angeles International Airport, but crews are thoroughly checking the airfield and terminal, officials at Los Angeles World Airports said.
USC tweeted about 2:15 a.m. that “(Department of Public Safety) completed a survey of (the main) & (Health Services) campuses, respectively. There were no reports of injuries or damage.”
A news photographer near the Golden State (5) and Garden Grove (22) freeways in Santa Ana told City News Service the shaking there was “significant.”
The Los Angeles Police Department tweeted about 12:40 a.m. “fortunately there are no significant incidents to report” and asked residents to only call 911 for emergencies.