4.9 magnitude earthquake jolts Northern California

A magnitude 4.9 earthquake rattled the Bay Area at 1:41 a.m. Thursday, centered near Boulder Creek in the Santa Cruz Mountains, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Shaking lasted a few seconds, felt as far as Oakland, San Francisco, and Petaluma, News.Az reports, citing US media.

Some residents near the epicenter reported minor effects, such as books falling from shelves, broken dishes, and startled pets, but no major damage occurred.

Earthquake alerts were sent across the Bay Area for quakes of magnitude 4.5 and above, though Boulder Creek residents received alerts after the shaking began. The quake was initially reported as magnitude 5.1 before being revised to 4.9.

The specific fault responsible is not yet identified. The Santa Cruz Mountains have several faults, and the area was previously the epicenter of the 6.9 magnitude Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, which struck near Mount Loma Prieta along the San Andreas Fault.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev