M4.4 earthquake near Pasadena was felt in the high desert of California

The US Geological Survey confirmed that a magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck an area southeast of Highland Park, California on Monday.

The quake had a depth of 7.4 miles and struck at 12:20 p.m. PST, according to the USGS.

Media reports in Southern California described an area on high, if not temporary, alert for emergency responders and residents, who felt the tremor as far away as the high desert of Victorville.

The tremor put the Los Angeles Fire Department on alert, with crews from 106 fire stations surveying their districts. There were no reports of injuries or structural damage, the department said when the inspection was completed, according to a CNN report.

Minor damage was reported in Pasadena, a few miles from the epicenter. A pipe broke at Pasadena City Hall, sending a stream of water pouring onto the sidewalk, and about 200 employees were evacuated from the building, ABC News reported.

The LA Times reported that the quake was centered on the Puente Hills system, the network that produced the 1987 M5.9 Whittier Narrows earthquake that caused $358 million in damage.

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California disaster Natural disasters Earthquake