The Los Angeles Fire Department said that the earthquake was felt across downtown Los Angeles but the agency was not entering into “Earthquake Mode” over the incident.

For stronger earthquakes, first responders and officials do assessments of the area to ensure there is no structural damage to buildings and infrastructure.

The quake is among about 40 that have hit Southern California since the start of March – though nearly all of these were magnitude 1 earthquakes that aren’t typically felt by residents, according to USGS data reviewed by the BBC.

Last month, there was a magnitude 3.7 earthquake that struck the nearby Malibu area. In December, a strong magnitude 7 earthquake jolted northern California and caused a short tsunami alert for those in northern California and southern Oregon.

BBC correspondents covering the Academy Awards in the heart of Hollywood reported fierce shaking and even some screams as the sudden jolt scared visitors. To some, it sounded like a bomb went off with the rumble.

One resident called it the biggest earthquake she’d felt and was surprised it was only a magnitude 3.9. “I felt that in my bones,” she remarked.

The BBC’s Emma Vardy said she was retouching her makeup for some final Oscars filming when the quake struck. Her diamond earrings wobbled in the mirror and she realized the high-rise she was in was shaking.

“I have felt a lot of quakes over the past two years in Los Angeles but currently, I am on the 15th floor of our media centre in Hollywood,” she remarked. “Feeling a building of that size move around like jelly is quite an experience.”