3.7-magnitude earthquake strikes near Ridgecrest

SEARLES VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) -- A 3.7-magnitude earthquake rattled the desert near Ridgecrest Thursday evening, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake struck about 10 miles west of Searles Valley at 6:21 p.m.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The Ridgecrest area has experienced thousands of aftershocks and small quakes in the months since this summer's major temblors.

This July, Ridgecrest was hit by a pair of major earthquakes, magnitudes 6.4 and 7.1 followed by thousands of smaller aftershocks.

It has continued to experience small quakes around magnitude 3.0 and higher on a regular basis since then.

The largest of those July quakes was felt throughout California and Nevada and produced significant damage to buildings and utilities in the immediate area.