The tremor was reported 11 miles from Ridgecrest according to the European Quake Monitor.
The earthquake was centered in the Mojave Desert near Ridgecrest. It struck at a shallow depth and was widely felt across the region, including in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, BNO news reports.
It comes just two days after a 6.4 magnitude tremor hit the state which had been the largest to hit Southern California in 20 years.
There are reports of gas leaks as residents are told to check their homes, CBSN reported.
Fire engines are patrolling the city.
The quake has since been downgraded to 6.9.
Tremors were felt throughout the country in the past day as experts warned more quakes were likely.
More to follow…
READ MORE: California earthquake: Is southern California safe as quakes strike?
Yesterday’s quake was followed by two magnitude 4 aftershocks which were felt in Los Angeles, 150 miles south from the area.
By midday local time on Friday, the USGS had registered more than 200 smaller aftershocks following Thursday’s 6.4 magnitude quake near the city of Ridgecrest, which was felt from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.
Seismologists said they were expecting more in the next few days.
It had been felt by 20 million people.
California’s new ShakeAlert system detected Thursday’s quake, but did not alert residents who had subscribed to the cell phone app because the shaking in Los Angeles County was below the threshold for a warning.
That did not stop some residents from complaining that they should have been warned anyway.
Only a few injuries were reported in Thursday’s quake, but two houses caught fire from broken gas pipes, officials said.
Water gushed from zigzagged cracks in the pavement from busted water lines.
Deep fissures snaked across the Mojave Desert, with passersby stopping to take selfies while standing in the rendered earth.