SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Fault lines along the West Coast jolted to life over the past 24 hours, with nine earthquakes striking from Northern California to Baja California. The strongest, a magnitude 4.0 quake, hit just northwest of The Geysers on Thursday afternoon, drawing at least four felt reports from surrounding communities.
According to the California Integrated Seismic Network, the cluster included a magnitude 3.6 near San Simeon, a 3.5 south of Estacion Coahuila in Baja California, and multiple smaller tremors across Sonoma, Riverside, Kern, and Mendocino counties. Depths ranged from just under one kilometer to nearly 18 kilometers, impacting both rural and more populated regions.
While no major damage has been reported, the shallow depth of several quakes increased the likelihood of shaking being felt locally. The USGS reminds residents to review emergency plans, secure heavy furniture, and keep go-bags stocked in case of a stronger event.
Activity near The Geysers, a known geothermal area, and along coastal faults underscores ongoing seismic volatility in the region. Experts caution that aftershocks or additional moderate quakes are possible in the coming days.
