A light earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 3.1 struck the Berkeley area today morning, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The tremor was recorded at around 9:23 a.m., with its epicenter located near the University of California, Berkeley campus.
The UC Berkeley Seismology Lab reported that the quake occurred at a depth of approximately 5.8 miles (9.3 kilometers). Despite its relatively small magnitude, the earthquake was widely felt across the East Bay, including in Oakland, Emeryville, Concord, and even as far west as San Francisco, according to reports submitted to the USGS “Did You Feel It?” system.
There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, but the quake served as a reminder of the region’s high seismic activity, given its proximity to the Hayward Fault, one of California’s most active fault lines.
This earthquake follows a magnitude 4.3 quake that rattled the East Bay on September 22, which was felt from Sacramento to Salinas. That event was followed by a magnitude 3.0 aftershock later the same day.
Experts note that such minor tremors are common in the area and help release seismic stress along the fault lines without necessarily indicating a larger event.
