LOS ANGELES, July 5 (Xinhua) -- A magnitude 7.1 earthquake on Friday hit southern California at 8:19 p.m. local time (0319 GMT Saturday).
The epicenter is near Ridgercrest, a city located 272 km north of Los Angeles downtown. The same area was hit by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake Thursday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
Many local residents said they felt the quake. So far, there is no report of casualties.
As the official website of the USGS has collapsed, no detailed information about the quake is reported.
It has been the strongest earthquake in southern California since 1999, when a quake jolted the state in the Hector Mines area of the Mojave Desert. No major damage or injuries occurred because of its distance from Los Angeles.
