A magnitude 5.1 earthquake strikes near the southern California city of Ojai as people in the southern part of the state await the passage of Tropical Storm Hilary with fear and apprehension.

Downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm, it remained dangerous with winds approaching 100 km per hour that swept the Baja California peninsula in Mexico on Sunday afternoon.

Las Vegas has declared a state of emergency, more than 200 flights have been canceled in San Diego and several roads have been closed.

"Stay safe and stay home," is the message launched by the mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass. A state of emergency has also been declared in Palm Springs.

"I spoke with California Governor Gavin Newsom about the emergency measures in place for Hilary and the administration stands ready to offer further assistance if requested," said Joe Biden, stating that he is closely following developments on the situation, including earthquake that hit Southern California that was also clearly felt in Los Angeles.

The earthquake did not cause significant damage according to the first findings of the firefighters.

(Unioneonline/L)