Residents of Southern California were shaken by a 5.2 magnitude earthquake that struck in the early morning hours.

The US Geological Survey reported the earthquake at 1.05 am in Borrego Springs - near Palm Springs and 150 miles outside of Los Angeles. No immediate injuries or damages were reported.

The quake lasted for 30 seconds and was felt in the west side of Los Angeles. Reports also show that the seismic activity was felt as far as San Diego.

NBC Los Angeles reported hundreds of aftershocks following the initial shake-up. USGS geophysicists Amy Vaughn told the Associated Press that the subsequent tremors registered between 2.6 and 3.6 on the Richter Scale.

The earthquake provided a moment for Californians to bond over the overnight scare via social media.

Dr Lucy Jones said the epicentre of the quake - which originated along the San Jacinto fault line - was the “most active” fault in Southern California.