EDITOR'S NOTE: Multimedia journalist Anna Albaryan visited Pico Rivera following the recent tornado and spoke to residents who were affected by the rare weather event. Click the arrow above to watch the video.

PICO RIVERA, Calif. — The National Weather Service confirmed that a tornado occurred early Thursday morning in Pico Rivera.

While damage to homes, cars and trees was visible, no injuries were reported, according to the NWS.

The tornado was categorized as an EFO, a rating that measures its strength and considers the different types of damage to structures and trees. An EF2 or higher is considered a significant tornado.

In a news release, city officials said the city's Emergency Operations Center was activated and crews were mobilized to assess and mitigate hazards. 

“We are grateful that there have been no reported injuries. I want to commend our emergency responders and city personnel for their immediate action in keeping our community safe,” Mayor John R. Garcia said. “Our top priority is ensuring all hazards are addressed and utilities are restored as quickly as possible.”

The NWS sent a team to survey the aftermath and reported the tornado had a wind speed of 85 mph and lasted about 2 minutes as it swept through the area.

Throughout the day, teams were actively working to clear debris, assess structural damages and restore essential services. Residents were urged to report hazards such as downed power lines, gas leaks or unsafe structures to the city's Public Works Department at 562-801-4421.

There have been other tornadoes reported in SoCal, including one in Oxnard this year that passed through a mobile home park in February. 

The NWS said there is the potential for more small, brief tornadoes with this storm system.