Los Angeles residents were rattled on Thursday morning by an earthquake centered north of the coastal city of Malibu.

Preliminary estimates showed it was a magnitude 4.7 quake, according to the United States Geological Survey. Quakes of that magnitude are often felt widely but tend to do only minor damage.

Across the region, which has been shaken by several temblors in recent months, some residents still in bed were awakened just before 7:30 a.m. by an emergency alert on their phones that urged them to “drop, cover, hold on,” and protect themselves.

In the area around the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in the middle of the city, where construction crews have been working for months, a jolt was followed by a slower wobble. Construction workers stood on the roof of the museum as it swayed slightly. Beds, window blinds and shelves rattled for about 15 seconds in the Silver Lake neighborhood, about 30 miles east of the quake’s center.

The quake was followed by a number of smaller aftershocks, as is common.

The authorities were trying to determine whether there was any significant damage. Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles said on social media that the Los Angeles Fire Department would conduct routine surveys to identify any major problems.

For the most part, the weekday morning continued as usual. Residents walked their dogs in the mid-city area of Los Angeles, coffee in hand, as if nothing had happened. Drivers continued to crawl through rush hour traffic without interruption.

Alexa Díaz and Corina Knoll contributed reporting.