Magnitude 5.4 Earthquake Spares Southern California

A magnitude 5.4 earthquake shook the Los Angeles area Tuesday around 2:40 p.m. ET (11:40 a.m. PT), according to data from the U.S. Geologic Survey, but it left little serious damage and no reported serious injuries, according to news accounts.

The quake, originally estimated to be a 5.8-magnitude shaker, was preceded by a 3.1-magnitude quake about six hours earlier, and was followed by dozens of aftershocks, the largest measuring 3.8 on the Richter scale.

The epicenter of the main 5.4 magnitude quake was about 29 miles from the center of Los Angeles. it was just two miles from Chino Hills, five miles from Diamond Bar and Yorba Linda, and seven miles from Pomona, Calif.

Shake map for magnitude 5.8 earthquake near Los Angeles July 29, 2008 / USGS

The last notable earthquakes causing significant damage in the area were the Jan. 17, 1994, magnitude-6.7 Northridge earthquake and the Oct. 1, 1987, magnitude-5.9 Whittier Narrows earthquake. In 1999, the magnitude-7.1 Hector Mine earthquake in a remote part of the Mojave Desert was widely felt through the greater Los Angeles region, but caused no damage.

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