Pair of 3.0 magnitude earthquakes hit Los Angeles

A preliminary 3.0 magnitude earthquake hit Southern California Tuesday evening at 9:40, according to the USGS.

Posted: Jul 18, 2023 / 10:15 PM PDT

Updated: Jul 18, 2023 / 11:17 PM PDT

A pair of preliminary 3.0 magnitude earthquakes hit Southern California Tuesday evening.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the first quake struck at 9:37 p.m. with a second coming in at 9:40 p.m., both just 0.4 miles west of Bell in Los Angeles County.

There have been no immediate reports of damage.

Tens of thousands of earthquakes are recorded in California each year, but the vast majority of them are extremely minor. Only several hundred are greater than magnitude 3.0, and only about 15 to 20 are greater than magnitude 4.0, according to the USGS.

In the continental United States, only Alaska records more quakes per year than California.

According to the California Department of Conservation, the strongest quake ever recorded in the Golden State measured 7.9 magnitude and struck Fort Tejon on Jan. 9, 1857.