6.4 magnitude earthquake rattles Southland on Fourth of July
LOS ANGELES (FOX 11) - A magnitude-6.4 earthquake was felt throughout the Southland on Thursday, shaking up local residents celebrating the Fourth of July.
The strong earthquake rattled a large part of Southern California and parts of Nevada There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries but a swarm of aftershocks were reported.
Kern County Fire providing update on 6.4 earthquake.
The Kern County Fire Department announced that it was responding to nearly two dozen incidents ranging from medical assistance to structure fires in and around the city of Ridgecrest, a town of about 28,000 people and the closest major population center to the epicenter was Ridgecrest.
WARNING GRAPHIC LANGUAGE: This intense video was from a second story apartment right as the 6.4 quake was happening in Ridgecrest, California.
RELATED: LIVE Earthquake radar, helpful links and resources from the California Earthquake Authority.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a State of Emergency proclamation hours after the initial quake, according to Ridgecrest Mayor Peggy Breeden.
"Because we've had over 87 aftershocks of this, we don't know what's going to happen and with the State of Emergency, it allows us to seek significant help from other governmental entities," said Breeding.
The 6.4 magnitude quake struck at 10:33 a.m. in the Mojave Desert, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Los Angeles, near the town of Ridgecrest, California. It is the strongest quake to hit the region in 20 years.
The United State Geological Survey initially said it measured at a 6.6 magnitude.
RELATED: Live Seismograms Feed and more helpful information from SCSN
Southland police and fire agencies quickly took to social media, reporting no injuries from the shaking, but some possible damage and one structure fire.
Officials said all roadways are passable but continue to make damage assessments.
"I talked just recently to Scott Seymour, the manager at the airport, and there is no damage that he knows of at this time, and they've examined everything out of the airport," said Breeden.
Due to the holiday, the number of personnel working was less than normal, said Ridgecrest Police Chief Jed McLaughlin. However, nearby agencies were able to step in and assist with a grid search of streets to look for damage, downed structures, and any victims, as more resources began coming into the area to ensure public safety was taken care after the dozens of aftershock shook the area.
Battalion Chief Jason Schillinger with the Kern County Fire Department said an Urban Search and Rescue task force with the Office of Emergency Services will be in the area assisting local agencies with K-9 dogs.
According to Kern County Fire on Twitter:
#EarthquakeResponse Update. We can confirm evacuations are underway @ Ridgecrest Regional Hospital.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department is sending a battalion chief and a task force to Ridgecrest, near Bakersfield, to assist the Kern County Fire Department in earthquake recovery efforts, according to fire authorities.
The Los Angeles Fire Department reported that "all 106 fire stations are out conducting a strategic survey of their districts to determine if any damage exists. Once this process is complete, an overall assessment of the impact in the City of Los Angeles will be compiled".
RELATED: Surviving the earthquake special: Prepare, Survive, and Recover.
Southland police agencies were reminding the public not to use 911 for earthquake questions unless they have injuries or dangerous conditions to report.
The Los Angeles Police Department Headquarters tweeted out:
We felt the earthquake, did you? Please only use 911 to report emergencies. Non emergencies in the City of Los Angeles use 877-ASK-LAPD.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said at 1:30 p.m. that the city was "in great shape," with no significant damage to report.
Officials at LAX said all runways were inspected and no damage was found. Ride operations were briefly suspended at Six Flags Magic Mountain and Hurricane Harbor in Santa Clarita, but the theme parks tweeted shortly after the quake that operations had resumed as normal.
Officials with the San Bernardino County Fire Department tweeted that they were conducting an assessment of the region and "no injuries reported, however buildings and roads have sustained varying degrees of damage."
The Los Angeles County Fire Department's Division 8, which encompasses Diamond Bar, Hacienda Heights, Industry, Rowland Heights, La Puente, Walnut, Pomona and Valinda, reported that a structure fire possibly ignited from a gas line break due to the earthquake.
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It was the strongest quake to be felt in Southern California since 1999, according to veteran seismologist Lucy Jones, founder of the Dr. Lucy Jones Center for Science & Society.
Jones said the quake was not on the San Andreas fault. "It is an area with a lot of little faults but no long fault," she tweeted.
President Donald Trump tweeted out:
'Been fully briefed on earthquake in Southern California. All seems to be very much under control!'
People all over the southland are sharing their videos of the quake on social media:
Twitter user Zomo_abd tweeted out:
My dads liquor store in Ridgecrest (11 miles from the earthquake)
Jrockstarstatus posted on Instagram from Ridegecrest:
Surveillance footage captured the moment a 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit a Pita Fresh restaurant in Ridgecrest, California.
(Video: Pita Fresh)
City News Services and AP contributed to this report