A 4.4 magnitude earthquake rattled Boyle Heights and the greater Los Angeles area Monday afternoon.
The U.S. Geological Survey determined the 12:20 p.m. quake originated from a fault system under the El Sereno and Highland Park areas. It was reportedly felt through the L.A. basin and along coastal cities as far south as San Diego.
There was no immediate local damage or injuries but there were reports of a broken water main at Pasadena City Hall according to Los Angeles Times reporting.
Students across Los Angeles Unified School District had a first day of school to remember, with the tremblor interrupting classes at some campuses. Students and faculty at Bravo Medical Magnet High School in Boyle Heights were evacuated into Hazard Park according to Boyle Heights Beat student reporter and Bravo student, Stephanie Perez.
Milly Aguilar, a senior at Bravo, said she wasn’t excited to be back at school but felt like the earthquake livened up the first day.
“I was on the first floor and I felt it like crazy. My friend and I were holding onto each other because it was really scary,” Aguilar said.
A ninth grade Bravo student, Alison, said she was enjoying her first day of high school but was fed up with waiting in the summer sun to return to classes.
“I think it’s a good school, but I didn’t expect this to happen the first day,” Alison said.
When asked how she felt about the earthquake on her first day of school at Bravo, student Chanel Orta felt ready to go home.
“I think it’s a sign to not go back to school. Maybe one more week off,” Orta joked.
The Los Angeles Fire Department quickly engaged in a post-earthquake assessment of the city by land, sea and air, according to a department alert. A later alert concluded that there had been “no significant infrastructure damage or injuries” noted within Los Angeles.
Monday’s earthquake comes days after one of comparable strength struck Kern County during the night of August 7. The Bakersfield-based quake registered as a 5.2 in strength and was felt across Los Angeles and the Central Valley.
Listos, a state-led group that advocates for disaster preparedness in California, suggests downloading earthquake notification apps, having emergency supplies at the ready and having a plan to protect your family, in case California experiences a larger quake.
Read more on how to prepare for an earthquake: https://thelalocal.org/residents-across-southern-california-felt-the-kern-county-earthquake-heres-how-to-prepare-for-a-major-quake/
