6.4 quake strikes near Death Valley, felt locally

A 6.4 preliminary magnitude earthquake has struck in the Mojave Desert near Death Valley, according to USGS.

The quake was felt across the Coachella Valley. It came toward the beginning of a swarm of 85 earthquakes that struck near Death Valley.

The official epicenter of the most major quake was listed approximately 6.5 miles to the southwest of Searles Valley, California.

This is the largest earthquake recorded in Southern California since 1999.

The first quake was reported at 10:33 a.m. approximately 7.5 miles to the southwest of Searles Valley, California. It struck at a depth of 6.6 miles.

The quakes were felt across the Coachella Valley. The initial large quake came toward the beginning of a swarm of over 4 dozen earthquakes that struck near Death Valley.

The aftershocks that followed packed their own punch; two 4.6 M quakes hit near Ridgecrest, while two 4.1’s and one 4.3, and a 4.5 struck Searles Valley, all within two and a half hours of the initial quake.

At least 58 aftershocks were reported after the initial quake, 20 were reported above a 3.5 magnitude.

This is the largest earthquake recorded in Southern California since 1999.

The largest quake struck in the middle of a swarm of tremors that rattled near Death Valley. The first quake struck just after 10 a.m.

4.0 quake struck approximately 7.5 miles to southwest of Searles Valley at 10:02 a.m. 2.5 quake struck approximately 6.8 miles to the southwest of Searles Valley at 10:09 a.m. 6.4 quake struck approximately 7.5 miles to the southwest if Searles Valley at 10:33 a.m. 4.7 quake struck approximately 6.2 east northeast of Ridgecrest at 10:35 a.m. 3.5 quake struck near Ridgecrest at 10:38 a.m. 3.8 quake struck near Ridgecrest at 10:40 a.m. 4.2 quake struck near Searles Valley at 10:40 a.m. 3.3. quake struck near Searles Valley at 10:42 a.m. 3.6 quake struck near Ridgecrest at 10:43 a.m. 3.9 quake struck near Searles Valley at 10:44 a.m. 3.4 quake struck near Ridgecrest at 10:46 a.m. 3.4 quake struck near Ridgecrest at 10:46 a.m. 3.6 struck near Searles Valley at 10:47 a.m. 3.4 struck near Ridgecrest at 10:51 a.m. 2.9 struck near Searles Valley at 10:52 a.m. 2.9 struck near Ridgecrest at 10:57 a.m. 3.3. struck near Searles Valley at 10:58 a.m. 2.7 struck near Ridgecrest at 11:00 a.m. 2.7 struck near Ridgecrest at 11:02 a.m. 3.0 struck near Searles Valley at 11:03 a.m. 2.8 struck near Searles Valley at 11:05 a.m. 3.8 struck near Ridgecrest at 11:06 a.m. 3.5 struck near Ridgecrest at 11:07 a.m.

*** All magnitudes were preliminary as of 11:15 a.m.

There were over 30 quakes that struck in the area but due the sheer volume of the reports, USGS has only been listing the most major tremors on its site.