4.5-Magnitude Earthquake Hits California's Bay Area

Helen Murphy

A 4.5-magnitude earthquake rocked the San Francisco Bay Area on Monday night, though officials say there were likely no fatalities.

According to the United States Geological Survey, the earthquake hit near Pleasant Hill, California, around 10:30 p.m. local time. The agency reported that the earthquake had a depth of about nine miles, and was felt as far north as Chico, California, and as far south as the San Jose area.

A smaller, 2.5-magnitude earthquake struck the same area just 10 minutes earlier, according to the USGS. Officials added that there is no tsunami threat.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the earthquake was followed by at least 20 aftershocks in the first hour, measuring 2.1-magnitude and below. The USGS added that there is an increased chance of aftershocks following Monday night’s quake, especially over the next week, and urged residents to be prepared.

USGS
USGS
USGS
USGS

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The sheriff’s office in Contra Costa County, where Pleasant Hill is located, tweeted that there had been “no calls of any injuries or damage” reported to the office after the earthquake. The USGS also said it was unlikely that there were any fatalities.

According to NBC News, USGS geophysicist Amy Vaughan said that an earthquake of 4.5-magnitude is normal for the area, though it’s not a common occurrence. Vaughan explained that the earthquake was likely strong enough to wake up sleeping residents or shake items from walls or countertops.

“Stores might be dealing with messes, and homes might have things falling out of cabinets,” Vaughan said, according to the Chronicle. “But not to the point of buildings being destroyed.”

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One Pleasant Hill resident told the Chronicle that the quake was “very loud, violent shaking, but no damage.”

“As soon as it started I shot out of my chair and ran into the house [from the garage] because my wife and kids were upstairs,” he told the newspaper. “I got up the first flight before the shaking subsided.”