1st LD: Magnitude-6.5 quake hits off N. California

A magnitude-6.5 earthquake hit Thursday morning the Pacific Ocean off the coast of northern California.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake at 6:49 a.m. local time was centered 172 kilometers west of Ferndale at a depth of 12.1 kilometers.

The USGS initially put the magnitude at 6.8.

Ferndale is a northern Californian city with less than 2,000 residents.

While the USGS estimated possible fatalities and economic losses due to the event to be low, there was no immediate report of casualties or damage from the area. Endit