Southern California Hit With Biggest Earthquake in Two Decades

Southern California, including the greater Los Angeles area, was just hit with one of the biggest earthquakes the region has experienced in two decades. The long earthquake, which reportedly lasted between 15 and 20 seconds, measured at 6.4 on the Richter scale. Centered in the Searles Valley near Ridgecrest in San Bernardino County, the quake was felt from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, CNN reports.

The last time an earthquake above magnitude 6 hit Southern California was in 1999 when the Hector Mine quake measured 7.1. There have been reports of some damage near the epicenter, including fires and rock slides. North of Los Angeles, the Kern County Fire Department is reportedly responding to over two dozen incidents, ranging from fires to medical assistance.

Unfortunately for Cali residents, the Los Angeles Times reports that more earthquakes could be on the way. Seismologist Lucy Jones has explained that the quake had enough distance from the San Andreas fault “that any impact on the system will be minimal,” but possibly stronger earthquakes could still happen. “This does not make [the Big One] less likely. There is about a 1 in 20 chance that this location will be having an even bigger earthquake in the next few days, that we have not yet seen the biggest earthquake of the sequence,” she said.

Check out what some of the Los Angeles residents had to say about the quake below.