Quake hits near Isleton, triggers ShakeAlert system
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake hit Northern California on Wednesday morning, rattling residents in Sacramento County and the San Francisco Bay Area. The quake struck at 9:29 a.m. near the small town of Isleton, about 32 miles southwest of Sacramento, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The quake was initially reported as a 5.7-magnitude event but was later downgraded by the USGS. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage from the quake, which was felt as far as San Francisco and San Jose.
The quake triggered a warning from the West Coast’s ShakeAlert system, which detects the start of a quake and sends alerts to smartphones in areas expected to experience shaking. The alert advised people to drop, cover, and hold on to protect themselves from potential harm.
The quake comes a day before the ShakeOut drill, the anniversary of Loma Prieta
The Isleton quake occurred the day after the 34th anniversary of the devastating Loma Prieta earthquake that rocked the San Francisco Bay region on Oct. 17, 1989, killing 63 people and injuring nearly 3,800 others. The Loma Prieta quake had a magnitude of 6.9 and caused up to $10 billion in damage.
The quake also came a day before California’s annual statewide ShakeOut earthquake drill, which aims to raise awareness and preparedness for seismic events. As part of the drill, thousands of MyShake app users will receive a test alert on Thursday.
California is one of the most seismically active regions in the world, with thousands of earthquakes occurring every year. Most of them are too small to be felt, but some can cause significant damage and disruption. Experts urge residents to have an emergency plan and kit ready in case of a major quake.