Southern California has been hit by a 6.9 magnitude earthquake, just two days after a tremor measuring 6.4.

The latest quake was measured 18 miles east of the city of Ridgecrest in California, at around 8.30pm local time (4.30am BST).

But there are reports of it being felt as far away as Las Vegas and even Mexico, covering an area with a population of around 20 million people.

There have been multiple posts on social media from people who clearly felt the quake themselves, describing it as "intense" and "scary".

Attendees reported tremors being felt at a Shawn Mendes concert at the Staples Arena in downtown Los Angeles.

Disneyland was forced to temporarily halt rides as terrified visitors felt the ground violently shake during the quake.

Local fire services are also reporting "multiple fires and multiple injuries" as a result of the incident.

Ridgecrest's police chief said there have only been minor injuries following the earthquake.

Mayor Peggy Breeden said: "We've got fires, we've got gas leaks, we've got injuries, we've got people without power, We're dealing with it as best we can."

The scale of the quake – initially thought to be 7.1 before being downgraded – would still make it the strongest in southern California for 25 years.

Initial estimates had put the force of Friday's quake at nearly 11 times the strength of Thursday's event.

Dramatic footage from CBS News in Los Angeles shows anchor Juan Fernandez and colleague Sara Donchey presenting as the earthquake happens.

His co-anchor grabs his arm, clearly worried as the studio shakes before moving under the desk to safety.

The quake hit 125 miles north of Los Angeles and was later revised down to a magnitude of 6.9 by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.

There have been early reports of property damage following the earthquake.

A spokesman for San Bernardino County fire department wrote on Twitter: "Homes shifted, foundation cracks, retaining walls down.

"One injury (minor) with firefighters treating patient."

The Los Angeles commuter rail service Metrolink said on Twitter it has stopped service in the city of 4 million people
for the time being.

Pools in Los Angeles sloshed wildly and TV cameras at baseball's Dodger Stadium were shaking as they filmed the night
game with the San Diego Padres.

According to the EMSC, it's the fifth 'felt' earthquake in California in the last 34 hours.

The state was hit by the 6.4 earthquake on Thursday, American Independence Day, with strong aftershocks jolting the region ever since.

Buildings shook and swayed during the terrifying tremor. 

San Bernardino County Fire reported one minor injury with firefighters treating patients following the earthquake.

Los Angeles Police received numerous reports from residents but they confirmed that 'no major damage to infrastructure' but there were localised power outages in several Los Angeles neighbourhoods.

On Thursday Ridgecrest was again the city nearest the epicentre, with a hospital  forced to evacuated due to structural damage.

A preliminary measurement gave the strength at magnitude 6.6 before that was revised down to 6.4.

Only a few injuries were reported in Thursday's quake, but two houses caught fire from broken gas pipes, officials said.

The Metrolink commuter rail service said on Twitter it had halted service in Los Angeles, a city of 4 million people, for
the time being in the immediate aftermath of the latest quake.

Friday's earthquake released about eight times more energy than Thursday's tremor, which rattled buildings and jangled nerves.

It was the largest in Southern California since the 1994 magnitude 6.6 Northridge earthquake, USGS geophysicist Paul Caruso said.

That quake, which was centered in a heavily populated area of Los Angeles, killed 57 people and caused billions of dollars of damage.

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