Backdrifter » earthquake

5.6 Quake Shakes the Bay Area

Jared Hanson — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 04:05:06 +0000

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.6 jolted the San Francisco Bay Area tonight, shortly after 8 o’clock. Even from my location Berkeley, just shy of 50 miles from the quake’s epicenter near San Jose, the shaking was very noticeable and lasted around 10 to 15 seconds.

I’ve been following the USGS’s list of recent earthquakes, and a spate of small aftershocks have followed along the Calaveras Fault. Thankfully, there have been no initial reports of any major damage.

Both SFGate and CNN have preliminary coverage, which will be updated as reports come in.

Earthquake in the Night

Jared Hanson — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 15:30:30 +0000

I was awoken this morning by a shaking apartment, and the associated noise, as a 4.2 earthquake rattled the Bay Area. It hit at 4:42 AM with an epicenter beneath Oakland.

I remained out of bed for about 30 minutes after the quake, reading groggy Twitter messages from others, while waiting for any aftershocks. Strangely, none occurred, as the quake is still listed as the most recent by the USGS.

Both CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle have published articles about the event.

Earthquake and Aftershocks

Jared Hanson — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 05:32:43 +0000

The ground has been doing its share of shaking recently, and tonight has been no exception. A 4.2 magnitude earthquake, the biggest in my time spent living here, struck near Lafayette, CA at 8:40 PM. Its epicenter was approximately 10 miles from where I live in Berkeley.

This quake had a rolling, side-to-side motion, which was very different than any of the others I’ve felt. It was followed up by three successively smaller aftershocks on six minute intervals.

9:44 PM: A couple more aftershocks have been registered. The San Francisco Chronicle has published an article with information and reactions.

Earthquake in Berkeley

Jared Hanson — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 03:22:13 +0000

A 3.4 magnitude earthquake centered in Berkeley struck at 3:46 this afternoon. I was at the office during the quake, in a building which I suspect is not all that seismically sound. It only lasted a couple of seconds, but being on the second floor heightens the sensation a bit.

The quake was located in the same vicinity where a spate of other temblors occurred in late December.

Sleigh Bells and Shaking, Continued

Jared Hanson — Sat, 23 Dec 2006 07:39:49 +0000

Well, this has certainly been an interesting holiday. Another 3.7 magnitude earthquake struck again tonight, in about the same location as two nights ago. This one seemed to last a shorter amount of time, but it shook things around a bit more. All in all, minor, yet Mother Nature sure can make her presence known.

In times like this, the USGS’s recent earthquakes page for the San Francisco Bay area can be a handy resource. The past two days’ quakes have occurred on the Hayward Fault, which is currently considered the most dangerous fault in the region. Wikipedia has a fascinating article full of information about the fault. It is well worth the read.

In related news, I’ve scheduled a new flight back to South Dakota for the holidays, this time on Northwest Airlines with a connecting flight at Minneapolis-St. Paul International. I’m looking forward to being back home for a few days, resting and relaxing with the family. Hopefully things are still standing when I get back.

Sleigh Bells and Shaking

Jared Hanson — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 06:18:35 +0000

Apparently there is a major snowstorm in Colorado which has caused Denver International to close. According to CNN.com, as many as 3,000 people are stranded at the airport. The latest flight delay information from the FAA states that it is not known when DIA will reopen. As luck would have it, I’m scheduled to land there tomorrow afternoon at 2:30.

Of course, my father is always on top of these things, and he had left a message on my answering machine informing me of these events, which greeted me when I arrived home from work. I immediately called my parents to discuss the change in holiday travel plans. While on the phone, a 3.7 magnitude earthquake struck near Berkeley. So, my parents got to experience their first earthquake from over 1,700 miles away. An early Christmas present.

I’ve spent the remainder of the night trying to reach a representative at United Airlines. Each call has informed me that all circuits are busy. I guess I’ll show up at Oakland International tomorrow morning and see what the situation is. Stay tuned.