Videos Show Moment 6.4 Earthquake Hits Southern California

CA Earthquake Damage
NBC7 San Diego
Breitbart News

A 6.4-magnitude earthquake shook Southern California on Thursday morning in the Mojave Desert about 120 miles from Los Angeles, according the U.S. Geological Survey.

The earthquake struck at 10:33 a.m. PDT, 11 miles northeast from Ridgecrest and 62 miles northwest of Barstow, the USGS reported. It was 6.6 miles below the surface in the Searles Valley, a remote area of Kern County. It was felt as far away as Long Beach and Las Vegas, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Footage of the moment the earthquake struck is circulating on social media.

The earthquake was the largest to hit Southern California since 1994, when a 6.7-magnitude quake hit the San Fernando Valley.

Structure fires were reported in nearby Ridgecrest along with damage to roads, but no injuries were immediately reported. Officials warned of the possibility of strong aftershocks.

The USGS predicted an 80 percent chance of aftershocks with magnitudes of five or higher during the next week and a nine percent chance of aftershocks larger than 6.4 magnitude.

“So far in this sequence there have been 22 magnitude 3 or higher earthquakes, which are strong enough to be felt, and 0 magnitude 5 or higher earthquakes, which are large enough to do damage,” USGS said.

The Los Angeles Fire Department acknowledged the temblor on Twitter, asking residents not to call 911 “unless there are injuries or other dangerous questions.”

The Los Angeles Police Department said on Twitter that the department didn’t receive any reports of damage, adding that “This was a strong one and a good reminder to be prepared.”

The United International Press contributed to this report.

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