An earthquake of 6.6 magnitude has hit Southern California.
The quake “rattled” the Los Angeles area at approximately 10am local time, according the U.S. Geological Survey.
It is thought to be the strongest earthquake to hit the area in over five years.
The Los Angeles Times reports that over the past 10 days, there has been two earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or higher centred in the vicinity.
Thursday morning’s earthquake occurred at a depth of 5.6 miles and had its epicentre near Ridgecrest, California.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has urged people not to call 9-11 unless they are reporting injuries.
“We are aware of the significant earthquake that just occurred in SoCal,” they tweeted. “PLEASE do NOT call 9-1-1 unless there are injuries or other dangerous questions [sic] Please do not call for questions.”
“At this time, the LAPD has not received any reports of damage or calls for service within the City of Los Angeles related to the #earthquake.
“Remember, 911 is only to report emergencies. This was a strong one, and a good reminder to be prepared.”
Any injuries or damages have yet to be reported.
