An earthquake of magnitude 3.9 struck near Malibu at 8.17 pm (local time) Sunday, as reported by the US Geological Survey.
Located approximately four miles from Thousand Oaks, residents experienced mild but extended shaking. Witnesses described a side-to-side motion lasting about 10 seconds, noting it was “a pretty good rattle.”
At the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department station in Agoura, the tremor was noticeable but “wasn’t all that violent,” according to Sheriff’s Sgt. Joseph De Mel’s statement to The LA Times. No damage was reported by sheriff’s officials.
By 9.15 pm (local time), mild tremors were detected from Long Beach to Oxnard, including near downtown Los Angeles, as indicated by USGS reported.
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The earthquake’s epicentre was situated four miles from Westlake Village, seven miles from Agoura Hills and nine miles from Oak Park.
The surrounding area has experienced two earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or higher within the past 10 days. A 4.1 magnitude earthquake that shook the city a week prior, forming part of a series of moderate tremors in the area.
The region has experienced increased moderate seismic activity since 2024. Throughout 2024, Southern California recorded 15 seismic sequences, each featuring at least one earthquake of magnitude 4.0 or greater, according to Lucy Jones, a seismologist and Caltech research associate, marking the highest annual count in over 60 years.
Over the past 13 months, the Malibu vicinity has experienced three earthquakes exceeding magnitude 4.
Based on recent three-year data, the Greater Los Angeles area typically experiences five earthquakes annually with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0.