Earthquake felt in Los Angeles area of California

A magnitude 5.1 earthquake
has struck the Los Angeles area
of southern California, the US
Geological Survey says.
The quake happened at about
21:10 local time on Friday (04:10
GMT on Saturday) and its
epicentre was 1 mile (2km) east
of the town of La Habra.

There were no immediate
reports of significant damage or
injuries.
A 4.4-magnitude quake was felt
near Los Angeles earlier this
month, rattling nerves but
causing no major damage.

The latest earthquake was
shallow at only 1.2 miles (2km)
deep, according to the USGS.
It was felt across four counties,
from Palm Springs in the east
and Ventura County to the north,
Reuters news agency reported.

The Los Angeles Fire
Department said it was
checking buildings and
transport infrastructure for
damage.
It said the quake was a
reminder for people to be
prepared.
The San Andreas fault, on the
edge of the Pacific tectonic plate,
runs directly through California,
and the western US state has
long braced for a devastating
quake.

The 1994 Northridge quake, at
6.7 magnitude, left at least 60
people dead. A 6.9-magnitude
quake in San Francisco five years
earlier killed 67 people.
Reference: BBC News