11:59 AM: ABC7 reports that there were “at least six small aftershocks” and “may have been centered where the Hayward Fault intersects with the Calaveras Fault.”
They also quote the USGS as saying that they don’t think this is a sign of things to come, quoting USGS spokesperson Dave Oppenheimer as saying “We have magnitude 4 earthquakes several times a year and they are not all followed by magnitude 7 or 8 earthquakes. The probability that this is a foreshock is very, very small.” We will be holding them to that!
11:01 AM (BCN): An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.1 struck this morning near Milpitas, startling residents and causing minor public transit delays.
The earthquake struck at 10:09 a.m. six miles east-northeast of Milpitas and eight miles north-northeast of Alum Rock, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It had a depth of 5.6 miles.
Milpitas police Sgt. Daryl Sequeira said the department has received a number of calls about the earthquake from both the public and the media.
There had been no reports of damage as of about 10:40 a.m.
Some residents who called police simply asked, “Did we have an earthquake?” Sequeira said.
Sequeira said he felt the temblor, which he said shook the building for two or three seconds. “Nothing even fell off my shelf,” he said.
Deanna Melen, an employee at Roadrunner Glass on South Main Street in Milpitas, said the earthquake frightened her, especially since she was the only one in the office at the time.
“It was a little bit scary,” Melen said. “I did hear a few things fall, so I have to go check it out. I sat under my desk for a while though.”
The quake was felt in many parts of the Bay Area, including San Francisco.
BART reported 5- to 10-minute delays systemwide after the earthquake, in part because BART protocol called for all trains to be held for five minutes.
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority light-rail vehicles were also stopped while officials did a “safety sweep” of the system, VTA spokeswoman Jennie Loft said.
Crews checked the vehicles and examined elevated structures and other spots along the lines for possible damage, but none was found.
The safety sweep was completed and the agency’s light rail vehicles were back on schedule as of 10:50 a.m., she said.
Caltrain spokeswoman Christine Dunn said train service was not impacted, explaining that protocol calls for track inspections only if there is an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.0 or greater within a 50-mile radius.
10:46 AM: BART’s back in service, but you should expect some residual delays of 5-10 minutes after the entire system was shut down for a post-earthquake track inspection.
Neither BART nor any other city agencies are reporting any damage. Even in my house, which is pretty precariously organized (this is code for my non-stud-embedded kitchen shelves), is OK. You?
10:40 AM: From Glen Park, Appeal staffer Katie Doze says she felt it, saying:
I was all “omg, I’m turning into Regan!” Ever since I read the Exorcist, I’m scared of beds shaking, ’cause its a sign you’ll be possessed!
Commenter Erik encourages everyone to fill out the “did you feel it” report related to the map commenter Alex shared, whether you felt it or not. Get on it, and maybe you will be one of the people they let on the boats in 2012.
10:30 AM: Lifelong Californian Keeling warns us of aftershocks, noting that there’s already been one little one.
Commenter Alex Zepada notes that you can see a map of reports of folks who felt the quake here.
10:18 AM: Friend of the Appeal Cathy reports that she felt the quake in her Mission district home. Our staffers based in Oakland, Glen Park, and SoMa did not feel it, and SoMa-based friend of the Appeal Brock Keeling gripes “Damnit, I never feel them, ever! I’ve been sitting perfectly still too!”
In the Outer Sunset, I felt my chair kind of move, and the building definitely rumbled, but it could just as easily have been a big truck or my normally silent neighbors getting rowdy.
How about you? Did you feel anything?
10:17 AM: Preliminary reports say the magnitude of this morning’s quake was a 4.2.
In addition, BART will be delayed for the next 5-15 minutes as they perform track inspections — this is typical for any significant quake.
10:11 AM: The pets didn’t seem to care, but I sure felt the quake we just had (as did twitter). We’ll update as the USGS does, but right now they’re saying the magnitude-as-yet undetermined quake was centered in the South Bay, near Milpitas . Did you feel it?
