Earthquake with 4.4 magnitude strikes Los Angeles amid warnings of aftershocks

A magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck the southern California region Monday afternoon, about 3 miles from South Pasadena, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

The quake, which struck the highly populated Highland Park neighborhood in east Los Angeles, was first reported as a magnitude 4.6 and later downgraded by the USGS. It was at a depth of just 7.5 miles (12.1km) below the surface.

The Los Angeles police department warned residents to be prepared for aftershocks.

“There are currently no initial reports of structural damage or injuries,” said the Los Angeles fire department, which had gone into “earthquake mode”.

People reported feeling it strongly across the Los Angeles area. A medical building shook and residents said glasses and dishes rattled in many places.

The quake was felt from greater Los Angeles south to San Diego and east to the Palm Springs desert region, according to the USGS community reporting page. A small number of reports were filed from the southern San Joaquin Valley about 100 miles north-west of LA.

Related: Don’t stand in the door frame: what to do in an earthquake

“Having lived through the Northridge earthquake [magnitude 6.7 in 1994], today’s tremor made me flash back to what we know are lifesaving rules during an earthquake: drop, cover and hold on. It was also a reminder to us all that we live in earthquake country and we need to be prepared,” said Los Angeles county supervisor Kathryn Barger.

Sports and news shows that were filming live showed commentators rattled by the sudden shaking.

The quake comes less than a week after a 5.2 magnitude temblor hit southern California and was also widely felt in Los Angeles. That quake caused no injuries or major damage.

The National Weather Service said a tsunami was not expected.

It struck on the first school day for the Los Angeles unified school district. At least one high school, John Marshall in Los Feliz, alerted parents that they had evacuated the buildings to check for damage, but didn’t see any immediately.

Associated Press contributed to this report