In the early hours of the morning, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 4.6 struck San Francisco, triggering the activation of the local earthquake early warning app. The seismic event caused significant shaking, leading to reports from residents of houses shaking and dishes falling to the floor.
Residents were advised to remain cautious of potential aftershocks and assess for any hazards, although no injuries or damages have been reported thus far. The US Geological Survey has forecasted a possibility of more earthquakes measuring magnitude 4 or higher in the upcoming week, with a four percent chance of a subsequent tremor and a one percent chance of a magnitude 5 quake, which could result in notable damage.
Following the earthquake, San Franciscans took to social media to share their experiences, with one individual describing holding onto their couch during the tremors. The San Francisco Fire Department has confirmed the absence of damage or injuries from the earthquake but continues to urge vigilance against aftershocks.
The earthquake intensity scale indicated that “light” to “moderate” shaking was felt in areas such as Berkeley, Oakland, and San Francisco. The Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale defines “moderate” shaking as being widely felt, capable of waking people from sleep, and able to displace unstable objects, potentially giving the sensation of a building being hit by a heavy vehicle.
The epicenter of the 4.6-magnitude earthquake was located in the heart of San Francisco and activated the MyShake early warning app before its occurrence. MyShake, which provides ShakeAlert®-powered earthquake alerts in California, Oregon, and Washington, utilizes data from the US Geological Survey and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to notify the public.
The earthquake, recorded at 2:56 am local time, struck near the UC Berkeley campus. The US National Tsunami Center clarified that there was no expectation of a tsunami following the seismic activity. The United States Geological Survey reported that the earthquake woke up residents in the San Francisco area shortly before 3 a.m. on Monday.
