Los Angeles Earthquake 2014 Today Hits NW of Westwood, Encino March 17

LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – Today’s Los Angeles earthquake 2014 hit northwest of Westwood in Encino, California, USGS has since updated news. The Los Angeles earthquake today March 17, 2014 was downgraded by officials and updated with a location centering it in Encino in the San Fernando Valley. The quake marks the strongest to hit Southern California since 2008.

The Los Angeles earthquake, first reported on LALATE today as a 4.7, has been downgraded by USGS to a 4.4 magnitude. Moreover, the quake has been followed by at least one notable aftershock today 3/17/14. After striking at 6:26 am PST, the quake was followed by a 2.7 magnitude aftershock.

USGS quickly indicated to news that the quake was “NW Westwood” and “NW Beverly Hills”. But as more details surfaced by USGS thereafter, the epicenter was confirmed as Encino. It marks the biggest quake to hit Southern California this decade. But more significantly, it is the strongest not to be centered along the coast or deep inland in months.

Since 2012, a series of earthquakes have most often been centered across three fault lines. One has been in the Pacific Ocean, delivering quakes from Malibu to Palos Verdes routinely, generally in the 2 to 3.0 magnitude range. A series of stronger quakes have been striking in recent years near Palm Springs, east of Perris, east of Los Angeles County.

And from 2012 to 2013, a series of quakes hit near the Sylmar quake line. For example, in late 2012, a 3.9 hit near the San Andreas Fault and within proximity to the deadly 1971 Sylmar Quake. In September 2011, three quakes struck that region. The lower section of the San Andreas Fault runs from the 5 Freeway near Frazier Park to the 14 south of Palmdale. Just south of the eastern section of that line was the epicenter of the 1971 Sylmar quake. It was located just south of the 14 between Santa Clarita and Palmdale.

Aftershocks are expected to hit the southland of the coming days. No injuries are reported today.