5.0 earthquake felt near Ridgecrest

A magnitude 5.0 earthquake hit the Ridgecrest area on Thursday, the latest aftershocks from the magnitude 6.4 and 7.1 temblors that hit in July, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Thursday’s earthquake occurred 43 miles from California City, 65 miles from Tehachapi, 68 miles from Bakersfield and 70 miles from Porterville.

In the last 10 days, there have been 17 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.

There have been numerous aftershocks from the July 4 and 5 quakes, the largest in Southern California in nearly two decades.

An average of five earthquakes with magnitudes of 5.0 to 6.0 occur every year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.

Thursday’s earthquake occurred at a depth of 1.5 miles.

Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.

Find out what to do before, and during, an earthquake near you by reading our five-step earthquake preparedness guide.

This story was generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.