Small earthquake shakes LA area

LOS ANGELES (AP) - September 7, 2012 (WPVI) -- A small earthquake was widely felt across the Los Angeles area early Friday morning, but authorities said there were no immediate reports of injury or damage.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 3.5 quake struck at 12:03 a.m. and was centered in the Beverly Hills area.

The shaking was evident from Santa Monica to Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley, City News Service said. The USGS reported more than 4,000 responses on its website from people saying they felt it.

The Los Angeles Fire Department put its quake protocol into action and sent firefighters on the ground and in helicopters to check roads, bridges and other key infrastructure for problems.

Fire spokesman Brian Humphrey reported an hour after the temblor hit that there were no injuries and the firefighters found no signs of significant damage. The inspection was discontinued.

Beverly Hills Police Department Watch Cmdr. Todd Withers told the Los Angeles Times that he felt a "sharp jolt" followed by a slow roll. The department received calls from residents, including some about burglar alarms going off, but no damage or injuries were reported.

The temblor followed a 3.2 magnitude quake that struck in the area on Monday.

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