A small earthquake near the Channel Islands off the California coast early Thursday was felt by many in Catalina Island's main city of Avalon, but there were no apparent damages or injuries.
The magnitude-4.2 earthquake shook in the Pacific Ocean at 12:41 a.m. about 40 miles south of Avalon and 60 miles off the coast of San Diego, said seismologist Randy Baldwin of the U.S. Geological Survey.
Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies and hospital workers in Avalon said they felt the quake and received calls from several others who did, but none reported any damage or injuries.
Police in San Diego and Oceanside said they received no calls about the quake.
The USGS Earthquake Information Center received about 50 reports of people feeling the temblor, but none reported problems, Baldwin said.
"These aren't really damaging magnitudes," Baldwin said.
Avalon has a population of about 3,500 that can swell to more than 10,000 on weekends and in summer, according to the Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau.
The quake struck closest to San Clemente Island, the uninhabited southernmost of the Channel Islands, which is used for training by the U.S. Navy.
