Magnitude 5.3 Confirmed in Southern California

A moderate earthquake struck near the Salton Sea in Southern California on Saturday but there were no immediate reports of injuries or serious damage, the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed.

The magnitude 5.3 earthquake was reported at 10:55 a.m. and centered about 6.8 miles west of Calipatria, the USGS said. It was the biggest among a cluster of earthquakes reported in the area since 1 a.m.

People south of the Salton Sea, a lake formed in 1905 when floodwater breached an irrigation canal, reported strong shaking on the USGS’s website. Hundreds others from as far away as San Diego and Yuma, Arizona, reported that they felt the temblor but nearly all indicated the shaking was weak.

The area last experienced an earthquake swarm in 2005 and the entire region surrounding the Salton Sea is known for having swarms, including two last fall, the USGS tweeted.

A dispatcher with the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office said there were no immediate reports of damage.