A seismometer. (Photo: AP)
Los Angeles (People's Daily) -- A 6.4 magnitude earthquake rattled a large area of Southern California on Thursday, July 4, which is Independence Day in the United States.
The quake struck at 10:33 am local time and was centered near Ridgecrest in the Searles Valley, a remote area of San Bernardino County about 150 miles northeast of Los Angeles according to the LA Times.
The epicenter, with a depth of 8.68 km, was initially determined to be at 35.70 degrees north latitude and 117.51 degrees west longitude, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.
(Photo: Screenshot of CNN)
Many local residents tweeted that they felt the shakes and steady sways which lasted for almost 30 seconds. So far, there is no report of casualties. This is the largest earthquake since the 6.6 Northridge quake in 1994, which killed dozens and caused billions of dollars in damage.
The Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles issued a note after the major earthquake, reminding Chinese citizens to follow information published by the authority to keep safe.
Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones from California Institute of Technology explained at a news conference Thursday noon that the Fourth of July quakes' damage is limited since the epicenter was in a remote area.
The earthquake was first reported as a magnitude 6.6 temblor.
