Series of Tremors Rattle San Francisco Bay Area: Here's What Happened

A series of minor earthquakes shook the San Francisco Bay Area on Thursday, as reported by the United States Geological Survey.

These quakes were concentrated near Hayward, California, a location just to the south of Oakland.

The first tremor registered a magnitude of 3.3 and struck at 11:52 a.m. Pacific Time, occurring merely a mile east of Hayward, according to data from the agency.

Later in the afternoon, around 2 p.m., another quake hit with a preliminary magnitude of 3.7, with its effects felt as far away as San Francisco.

Seismologists are currently analyzing the data, which may lead to adjustments in the reported earthquake magnitude. Any further insights gathered could also result in updates to the U.S.G.S. shake-severity map.

These seismic events occurred along the Hayward Fault, one of several significant faults intersecting the San Francisco Bay Area. While it may not be as renowned as the San Andreas Fault, which famously ruptured in 1906 and 1989, experts caution that the Hayward Fault is equally capable of producing a massive quake.

In a 2018 study, the U.S.G.S. explored the potential impact of a magnitude 7.0 earthquake striking the Hayward Fault. Their findings suggest that such an event could result in 800 fatalities and 18,000 injuries due to structural damage. The associated economic impact, encompassing property losses and halted business operations, was estimated at $82 billion.

Aftershocks are a possibility in the wake of the initial earthquakes, with occurrences spanning days, weeks, or even years later. These can match or exceed the magnitude of the original quake, continuing to affect areas that are already compromised.