5.1 Earthquake Jolts California, Possible Aftershocks

A shake map released by the US Geological Survey (USGS) on 29 March 2014 shows the location and intensity of a 5.1 Richter scale earthquake 2.4 km north-west of Brea in Orange County, California, USA. Photo by EPA/BGNES

An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 on the Richter scale has shaken Southern California on Friday evening.

There are no reported major damages, though several residents suffered slight injuries from falling objects, according to the Los Angeles Times. The epicenter of the tremor was in Orange County, one mile east of La Habra, and in close proximity to Los Angeles.

"It just would not stop, it was like an eternity," said Castillo, an 18-year-old La Habra resident.

The quake struck at 9.09 pm local time, while a smaller 3.6 tremor was recorded an hour before that. A number of households in Brea county and La Habra evacuated themselves quickly.

"There could be even a larger earthquake in the next few hours or the next few days", seismologist Lucy Jones commented.

The state of California is prone to earthquakes, with a 6.9 magnitude one leaving 63 people dead in 1989.

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