4.5 magnitude natural disaster hits California

It was the sixth quake measured at a magnitude 4.5 or greater to strike the area in 30 years, the largest being a 5.9 tremor just north of Palm Springs in 1986, Jones said.

The natural disaster, which occurred at 6:42 a.m., was centered four miles northwest of Banning, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Within minutes, dozens of KTLA viewers reported feeling shaking across L.A. and San Bernardino counties. Over 1,600 residents reported the quake to the Geological Survey, through their “Did You Feel It?” system.

The temblor was felt throughout much of Southern California, including Orange County, the Coachella Valley and even parts of San Diego and Los Angeles counties. Magnitude 4.5 quakes are recorded about once every month or two somewhere in California, she said.

Wednesday’s seismic event doesn’t come close to that, though it is appreciably stronger than the smattering of other quakes from the last few days, as reported by the Southern California Earthquake Data Center.