These quakes were gentle nudges compared to what might come, reminding us all of Southern California’s shaky foundation.

The quake hit at around 12:20 PDT, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The tremors were felt in nearby cities like Pasadena and Glendale, as well as coastal areas like Manhattan Beach and El Segundo.

Malika Andrews from ESPN was interviewing a baseball analyst when the earthquake started. “Everything is shaking,” said Andrews after checking there were no damages or injuries.

The agency later reported that there were no damages or injuries. Local media said a water main broke in South Pasadena, but it was unclear whether the earthquake was to blame.

This was not the only earthquake that hit California. In recent weeks, California has seen a string of magnitude 4 and 5 quakes. Affected areas include Grapevine and Bakersfield.       

More menacing than the famous San Andreas, its position under the dense population makes it an especially alarming concern for earthquake experts.

The fault is underneath downtown Los Angeles, Whittier and the Puente Hills. This type of fault occurs when one part of the Earth’s crust is pushed on top of another due to compressional forces.

This comment highlights a series of small but significant tremors recently noted by researchers and reported by the LA Times.

Dolan points out, “But the key thing is, they are very small events. These are very small earthquakes that don’t necessarily mean anything in terms of potentially being the harbinger of a future large magnitude earthquake on the Puente Hills thrust.”

This hidden nature makes it particularly challenging to study and monitor.

This would be a nightmare scenario for the city’s residents, infrastructure and rescue services.

However, it pales in proximity to the Puente Hills fault when considering the immediate threat to Los Angeles’ urban core.

Geologists estimate this fault has a quake every few thousand years. However, the San Andreas fault has a major earthquake once every few centuries. Its most recent quake happened in 1857 and had a magnitude of 7.8.

Her statement illustrates the unique risk posed by Puente Hills compared to other faults in the region.

But a quake of similar strength on the Puente Hills fault could be much deadlier, potentially claiming up to 18,000 lives and causing upward of $252 billion in damages.

He said, “People really need to be ready for a very, very large earthquake, or earthquakes, in L.A.’s future. It’s going to happen. We don’t know when. We don’t know exactly which fault is going to generate those earthquakes, but they are going to happen.”

The buildings most at risk are those constructed with brittle concrete frames. These buildings could crumble during a major earthquake. Violent tremors can push buildings off their foundations or even cause them to collapse.

Cities such as Los Angeles, Pasadena and Santa Monica have ordered these buildings to be retrofitted. However, most other areas have not, including San Gabriel Valley and southeast L.A. County.

Jones said: “This is something that not only kills people, as we saw in ’94, but it also leaves people homeless. We can’t afford to lose that housing when a bigger earthquake comes through.”

They suggest it could potentially release a major earthquake every few thousand years.

In 2014, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake in La Habra struck. Several water mains broke. A rock slide in Carbon Canyon caused a car to overturn, leaving the driver and passengers with minor injuries. Officials said more than a dozen homes were red-tagged for possible structural damage.

This event serves as a stark reminder of the destructive power of even smaller earthquakes on the Puente Hills fault.

Precautions include buying extra water and securing spaces, such as fastening bookshelves to walls. There are many things you can do to prepare your family and property for a future earthquake.

Those without smartphones can also get quake alerts on their cell phones. However, these alerts will only reach those in a higher magnitude area or where higher levels of shaking are predicted.