As LALATE first broke, a Los Angeles 4.4 earthquake hit today May 1 2009. The L.A. earthquake was felt by many Los Angeles valley residents while others in the Southland never felt it.

The quake reported earlier on LALATE hit just after 6 pm. Its nominal depth at only 6 KM below the earth’s surface could potentially cause more residents seemingly to feel it.  But that appears not to be the case. Tonight’s quake, centered 6 km SW of Westlake Village, was not felt widely.

Here again is USGS data:

Magnitude 4.4 – local magnitude (ML)
Time Friday, May 1, 2009 at 6:11:13 PM (PDT)
Saturday, May 2, 2009 at 1:11:13 (UTC)
Distance from Westlake Village, CA – 9 km (6 miles) SW (224 degrees)
Thousand Oaks, CA – 12 km (7 miles) S (186 degrees)
Malibu, CA – 12 km (7 miles) WNW (300 degrees)
Casa Conejo, CA – 13 km (8 miles) SSE (156 degrees)
Los Angeles Civic Center, CA – 59 km (37 miles) W (273 degrees)
Coordinates 34 deg. 5.0 min. N (34.083N), 118 deg. 53.3 min. W (118.889W)
Depth 9 km (5.6 miles)

Who felt it and who didn’t?

The quake certainly was the most Twittered quake to date. LALATE in Santa Monica didn’t feel the earthquake. But Billy Bush felt it from Encino:

“Just felt a good rumble in encino CA…must be an earthquake. Rocked the house.”

Jonathan Knight, specific LA location unknown, twittered he felt it, but hardly:

“Relieved to find out it was an earthquake here. I thought it was the Metamucil kicking in. I knew I felt a small rumble!”

But celebrities Paula Abdul and Heidi Montag twittered right through it with no mention of feeling the quake.