The earthquake, measured at 6.5 by the Seismologic Survey of Mexico (SSM), caused some minor damage in Mexico's Sinaloa state, said the state's Civil Protection agency.
The quake struck at 11:53 am at a depth of 10 kilometers, the USGS said.
The epicenter was in the Sea of Cortez between the Mexican mainland and the southern end of the Baja peninsula, 105 kilometers south of the city of Los Mochis and 140 kilometers northeast of La Paz, Baja California, it added.
In Los Mochis, the temblor damaged some buildings but caused no injuries, the protection agency said.
Throughout Sinaloa state, it added, the earthquake caused "some minor damage to buildings and there were a few cases of hysteria and evacuations, but nothing more," an agency official told AFP.
In Baja California state, there were no reports of damage or injuries from the quake, said the state's Civil Protection agency director Jose Gajon.
The officials said some aftershocks were expected in the region but of smaller magnitude.
Prior to Thursday's quake, a series of at least seven earthquakes rattled northern Mexico overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, ranging in magnitude from 3.3 to 5.8, the USGS said.
The 5.8 quake struck at 12:58 am, centered 130 kilometers southwest of Guamuchil in Sinaloa state. It had a depth of 10 kilometers.
All the quakes hit the Gulf of California region, except for a magnitude 3.3 event in Baja California.
