LOS ANGELES - A 4.4 magnitude earthquake struck Southern California on Monday afternoon, causing buildings to sway, dishes to rattle, and car alarms to go off. The earthquake, which originated near the Los Angeles neighborhood of Highland Park, was felt across a wide area, from Los Angeles to San Diego, and as far east as the Palm Springs desert region. Despite its intensity, no major damage or injuries have been reported thus far.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the earthquake's epicenter was located approximately 6.5 miles northeast of Los Angeles' City Hall, at a depth of about 7.5 miles. According to community reports on the USGS page, the tremors were felt as far north as the southern San Joaquin Valley, approximately 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

The impact of the quake was felt in various locations throughout Southern California. A medical building shook, and even a live interview on ESPN was briefly interrupted. In Anaheim, home to Disneyland, the ground swayed, while dishes rattled in the renowned LA neighborhood of Laurel Canyon, where many celebrities reside. Social media posts shared images of shampoo bottles and other items strewn across the floor of a Target store in Los Angeles.

The quake also caused some water leakage from an upper floor of Pasadena City Hall, an iconic structure dating back to 1927. Pasadena public information officer Lisa Derderian confirmed that the water leak was a result of the earthquake. Fortunately, approximately 200 employees were able to evacuate the building safely, and one person was rescued from an elevator.

Despite these incidents, the overall impact of the earthquake seems to be minimal. Los Angeles firefighters surveyed the entire city and reported no significant damages across its 470-square-mile territory.

The quake serves as a reminder of the potential risks faced by California's population, living in an area with active fault lines. Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who experienced the destructive Northridge earthquake in 1994, emphasized the importance of being prepared. "Having lived through the Northridge earthquake, today's tremor made me flash back to what we know are lifesaving rules during an earthquake: drop, cover, and hold on," she said.

The National Weather Service confirmed that no tsunami was expected as a result of the earthquake. The USGS later revised its initial estimation of a 4.6 magnitude for the quake.

Richard Egan, who has experienced numerous earthquakes during his time in Southern California, described the event as average. He was eating lunch on the second floor of an office building near Long Beach Airport, approximately 20 miles south of the epicenter. Egan stated that there was a sudden jolt, followed by about 45 seconds of rolling. After the shaking ceased, normal activities resumed.

The earthquake occurred on the very first day of the new school year for the Los Angeles Unified School District, affecting an estimated 540,000 students. While many schools experienced the tremors, John Marshall High School in Los Feliz evacuated its buildings to check for damage but found none immediately.

This earthquake comes less than a week after a 5.2 magnitude temblor struck Southern California, which was also widely felt in Los Angeles. Fortunately, that event resulted in no injuries or significant damage.

Although Monday's earthquake caused some alarm and disruption, Southern California remains vigilant and resilient, serving as a stark reminder of the region's seismic activity.