Moment news team reporting on storm rocked by 5.1 magnitude earthquake

California news anchors were reporting on the devastating flooding caused by Tropical Storm Hilary when their studio was rocked by something unexpected.

The ABC7 team had just crossed to densely populated Lincoln Heights where a car was floating down the Los Angeles River. During a cross, a local woman told a reporter Mother Nature is a force to be reckoned with. She wasn’t wrong.

Minutes later, during an interview with the LA county fire chief, the studio began to shake. “I’m really sorry to interrupt here right now, our studio is shaking right now. So not only are we dealing with a tropical storm but it appears we’re now dealing with an earthquake,” the news anchor says.

How big was the earthquake?

Those inside the studio had just felt a magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck Ventura County on Sunday afternoon (local time).

The news team reported seeing the lights moving and heard the rafters squeak. But they quickly got back to regular programming, saying “When it rains it pours, literally”.

Tropical Storm Hilary has been weakening over the past 48 hours, but since it made landfall over the weekend on the northern part of the Baja California peninsula, it has caused chaos around California.

It’s just the latest natural disaster to hit North America. Over the border, Canada has been fighting its worst-ever wildfires. On Friday, an entire city of 20,000 people were forced to evacuate due to the threat of just one fire.

• Maui fires prompt 'life and death' warning for Aussies this summer

• Alarming act caught on camera as Australia's fire season looms

• 'Diabolical' threat to Australia’s favourite tourist destinations

Across the Pacific in Maui, residents are still cleaning up debris after a wildfire burnt through the town of Lahaina, killing at least 114 people across the island.

Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new weekly newsletter showcasing the week’s best stories.