On Monday afternoon, a strong earthquake occurred near Los Angeles in the state of California, shaking houses and alarming the population within a radius of several kilometers.
According to the US Geological Survey, the epicenter of the 4.4 magnitude quake occurred around 12:20 PDT (20:20 BST) near Highland Park, a neighborhood in Los Angeles County not far from the famous Hollywood Sign and the Griffith Observatory.
The effects were felt in the nearby cities of Pasadena and Glendale, as well as as far as the coast in areas such as Manhattan Beach and El Segundo.
According to the USGS, there was no tsunami warning due to the earthquake.
Officials across the state monitored damage and injuries, but no serious damage was reported.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said crews from the city’s 106 fire stations would conduct a comprehensive survey of the greater Los Angeles area for building damage or other problems.
The agency later announced that no damage had been found, only injuries had been reported.
Local media reported a water pipe burst in the nearby city of South Pasadena and authorities said the cause may have been the earthquake.
The quake occurred during a live television and radio broadcast that showed the violent ground movements. Malika Andrews of ESPN interviewed Basketball commentator Rebecca Lobo was live on air when the earthquake happened.
“We have a small earthquake here in Los Angeles,” Ms. Andrews said as the camera panned back and forth in time with the tremors.
She made sure everyone was OK and told viewers that they would make sure the studio’s equipment and lighting were secured to keep the crew safe. “Everything is shaking,” she noted.
Another livestream, on ESPN’s podcast Travis and Sliwa Show, showed a member of the team ducking under a table during the earthquake. “Woah, woah. This is a real earthquake,” host Travis Rodgers said during the quake.
The magnitude of the earthquake was initially estimated at 4.7, but was later downgraded to 4.4 by the US Geological Survey.
The region has experienced several magnitude 4 and 5 earthquakes in recent weeks, including last week in Grapevine and Bakersfield, California.
