Earthquake of 5.2 Magnitude Strikes off Coast of California

An earthquake measuring 5.2 magnitude on the Richter scale struck off the coast of the US state of California on Wednesday. The epicenter of the earthquake occurred 23 km southwest of the city of Lamont, at a depth of 11.6 km, the US Geological Survey said. The quake was followed by at least 30 aftershocks ranging in magnitude from 2.5 to 4.5. There have been no reports of causalities or material damage as a result of the earthquake so far. California regularly experiences earthquakes Seismologists warn that an earthquake capable of causing widespread destruction will most likely hit the state within the next 30 years. In 1994, a 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck California, killing at least 60 people and causing damage estimated at USD 10 billion, while a 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit San Francisco County in California in 1989, killing 67 people. (QNA) Source: Qatar News Agency