Strong quake hits southern California

LOS ANGELES, United States: A shallow 5.2 magnitude quake hit southern California on Monday, US geologists said.

The tremor was centered four kilometers south of Julian, which is around 20 miles from the US border with Mexico, and was eight miles deep, according to data from the US Geological Survey. The initial quake, which hit just after 10:00 am (1700 GMT), was followed by a series of smaller aftershocks.

There were no immediate reports of serious damage and scientists said structural problems were unlikely. Because the quake occurred on land, there was no chance of a tsunami.

Paul Nelson, the owner of the Eagle Mining Company, which offers tours down a decommissioned gold mine in Julian, said the quake had created quite a shake. “It was kinda scary. It did knock some stuff down in the gift shop.”