4.3 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Bay Area, Aftershock Follows: USGS

The U.S. Geological Survey reported that a 4.3 magnitude earthquake hit California’s Bay Area on the afternoon of July 16. (USGS)USGS

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that a 4.3 magnitude earthquake hit California’s Bay Area on the afternoon of July 16.

The tremor was centered about 7.7 miles east of Blackhawk and 8.2 miles north of Livermore, according to the agency, which said it occurred around 1:11 p.m.

NBC Bay Area reported that a number of residents in the East Bay, which includes cities such as Berkeley and Oakland, and the South Bay, which includes San Jose and Sunnyvale, felt the earthquake.

The tremor was centered about 7.7 miles east of Blackhawk and 8.2 miles north of Livermore, according to the agency, which said it occurred around 1:11 p.m. USGS

“Mother Nature just reminded us why we need to be prepared for an #earthquake and be able to sustain ourselves and communities,” the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office tweeted.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that no damage to structures is expected.

A 3.5 magnitude earthquake hit the same area about 13 minutes later, the USGS said. A day before, a 3.3 magnitude earthquake hit the South Bay, the NBC affiliate noted.

On social media, people reported feeling the tremor.

‘Big One’

After a large earthquake hit Southern California earlier in July, officials have warned about the “big one” hitting the state.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said it’s time residents did their part by mapping out emergency escape routes and preparing earthquake kits with food, water, lights, and other necessities, The Associated Press reported.

“It is a wake-up call for the rest of the state and other parts of the nation, frankly,” Newsom said at a news conference on efforts to help a desert region jolted by back-to-back quakes.

A visitor takes a photo of a crack on the ground following recent earthquakes outside of Ridgecrest, Calif., on July 7, 2019. Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Photo

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake July 4 and a magnitude 7.1 quake July 5 were centered 11 miles from the small town of Ridgecrest, about 150 miles from Los Angeles.

“Any time that we can go through a 7-point earthquake and we do not report a fatality, a major injury, do not suffer structure damage that was significant, I want to say that that was a blessing and a miracle,” Kern County Fire Department spokesman Andrew Freeborn said July 7.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.