Earthquake Hits Los Angeles

A 5.4 earthquake hit Los Angeles today around 11:50 am. The quake originated 2 miles southwest from Chino Hills, and about 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles. The quake was 7.6 miles deep, which would cause less damage than earthquakes closer to the earth’s surface.

A 5.8 magnitude quake is considered by the USGS to be "moderate," which can cause slight damage to buildings and others structures. About 500 can happen globally each year, the survey says.

Anaheim Police Sgt. Ken Seymour said:

"It’s too early to tell if there’s any major damage but all units are checking overpasses, bridges and tall buildings."

I would describe it as a strong jolt followed by a rolling motion, and swaying back and forth, that lasted about 20 seconds in Los Angeles. The aftershocks will continue throughout the day, and so far there have been about 30.

Arnold Schwarzenegger activated the emergency system.

The earthquake could have been a lot worse.