A 4.4-magnitude earthquake hit approximately 2.5 miles south of the Los Angeles neighborhood of Highland Park on Monday, as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The quake occurred around 12:20 p.m., causing tremors that were felt throughout L.A. County, including areas such as Pasadena and Studio City. Initially recorded as a 4.6-magnitude temblor, USGS later revised the magnitude to a 4.4. This recent quake follows another one in June that had its epicenter in South Pasadena and was felt in areas stretching from Los Feliz to Long Beach.

Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones confirmed that the location of Monday's earthquake was "essentially the same" as the one experienced in June. The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) promptly dispatched crews to assess potential damage to buildings in response to the earthquake. In line with the city's earthquake protocol, all 106 LAFD fire stations participated in inspecting buildings for damage.

As of 1 p.m., LAFD spokeswoman Margaret Stewart reported that inspections were nearing completion and no damage had been detected. The inspections included air and marine efforts in addition to ground assessments. Stewart shared that she felt the quake while at LAFD headquarters.

According to Dr. Lucy Jones, the large number of reports about the earthquake can be attributed to its epicenter being in a densely populated area of Los Angeles. She explained that individuals may not usually feel earthquakes with magnitudes lower than a four because they are typically farther away from the epicenter.

LA Metro temporarily slowed down train services to check for potential damage on the countywide transit system's tracks. However, after finding no damage, regular service resumed. South Pasadena Police Chief Brian Solinsky mentioned that there had been no reports of injuries or damage in his area. He added that the intensity of the shaking could have caused slight damage, attributing it partly to building retrofitting efforts.

At Pasadena City Hall, water gushed from a broken pipe while firefighters conducted a search inside the building. Authorities have yet to confirm whether the pipe damage was caused by the quake. Seismologists at The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena also felt the shaking during the earthquake.

Last week, a 5.2-magnitude earthquake near Bakersfield shook the Southern California region, with tremors felt in parts of Kern, Ventura, and Los Angeles counties. In the following two days, over 400 aftershocks occurred within 10 miles of the quake's epicenter, as confirmed by USC seismologist John Vidale. These aftershocks are considered part of the same sequence due to the area's typically low seismic activity.

Dr. Lucy Jones mentioned that there have been previous earthquakes along the same fault as Monday's quake. She explained that this fault network is complex and that determining whether it is the exact same strand as the Whittier Narrows quake is challenging due to its depth. The Whittier Narrows earthquake occurred in the southern San Gabriel Valley in 1987, resulting in over 200 injuries and at least three fatalities. Caltech seismologists also identified the quake as occurring along the Elysian Park Fault.

The epicenter of last week's earthquake near Bakersfield was located in the southernmost part of the Central Valley, approximately 100 miles north of Monday's quake. The main quake was followed by two aftershocks with magnitudes over 4.0 within just 10 minutes. Dr. Lucy Jones described this sequence as "pretty active" in a short span of time.

Seismologists emphasize that aftershocks are most likely to occur immediately following an earthquake, with their probability decreasing over time. However, each quake, even smaller tremors, can increase the likelihood of another one occurring. USGS did not report any aftershocks within an hour following Monday's earthquake in Los Angeles. The night before, a 2.9-magnitude temblor struck near Big Bear Lake, approximately 90 miles east.