The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 6.7 miles beneath the surface, a factor influencing the intensity of shaking during such events. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
A 4.2 magnitude earthquake jolted California’s Sacramento County and portions of the San Francisco Bay Area on a Wednesday morning, as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey.
The seismic event originated in southern Sacramento at 9:29 a.m., causing “moderate” shaking in the towns of Rio Vista and Isleton, although its initial magnitude estimate of 5.7 was later revised downward.
The tremors spread across five neighboring towns, such as Oakley and Discovery Bay, inducing mild shaking, while Sacramento, San Francisco, and San Jose experienced weaker tremors, according to the USGS.
Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. In response to the quake, an emergency alert instructing people to “Drop, Cover, Hold On” was disseminated via mobile phones, as per NBC affiliate KCRA of Sacramento.
BART, the San Francisco Bay Area train service, temporarily delayed trains for inspection, resulting in a minor five to eight-minute disruption.
The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 6.7 miles beneath the surface, a factor influencing the intensity of shaking during such events. This is in contrast to a 4.8-magnitude earthquake that struck California at a depth of 19.2 miles a few days earlier, which had a milder impact.
Curiously, this earthquake struck just a day prior to the statewide Great California ShakeOut earthquake drill, in which over 10 million Californians practiced safety measures for large seismic events.
According to the California Earthquake Authority, the majority of Californians reside within 30 miles of one of the state’s more than 500 active fault lines.
USGS estimates indicate a 75% likelihood of a 7.0-magnitude or greater earthquake striking Southern California within the next 30 years.