Strongest Quake in Decades Rattled Southern California

By Staff, Agencies

The southern California city of Ridgecrest was the epicenter of a 6.4 magnitude earthquake on Thursday, with tremors hitting the cities of Los Angeles and Las Vegas in neighboring Nevada and causing the state's governor to declare a state of emergency in the area.

Only minor casualties have been reported, with the quake taking place in low-density area around 240 kilometers northeast of LA. Local emergency crews were reportedly responding to around 25 incidents in and around Ridgecrest which included a mix of medical and fire emergencies.

The magnitude was the largest in the region since 1994, when a 6.6 quake hit an area closer to Los Angeles, causing billions of dollars in damages. 

In 2014, a 6.0 earthquake hit northern California, in the Napa Valley close to San Francisco, causing fires and damage.

The incident comes as the country celebrates the national July 4^th holiday. Donald Trump said on Twitter he had been fully briefed and "all seems very much under control."