A massive earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scalejolted southern California, just a day after a 6.4-magnitude temblor hit the USstate, the strongest in 20 years.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), theepicenter of the quake that hit the state at 8.19 p.m. on Friday was nearRidgercrest, a city located 272 km north of Los Angeles, Xinhua news agencyreported.
Thursday’s quake jolted a remote area in California’sSearles Valley. It produced more than 1,400 aftershocks, scientists said.